The dances of this country date back about 3,000 years. In the beginning, the movements were simply for entertainment and to provide a sense of unity within the communities. However, between the 1870s and the 1900s, these dances began to have a more significant meanings. “Africa faced European imperialist aggression, diplomatic pressures, military invasions, and eventual conquest” (Iweriebor). Even though Ethiopia itself was never colonized, the continent around them was exploited and dominated by Europeans. “ Dance was in some sense an adaptation to a new world dominated by European powers” (Ranger 17). The dances were given more meaning. Now they are meant to give the country a sense of nationalism and pride. They watched as countries around
