How did the African slaves sent to America maintain aspects of their culture?
Throughout the years, Africans have undergone a dramatic change in terms of how they are viewed in society (this is a movement still ongoing today in America). During the 1800s, the slave trade brought many millions of Africans, primarily from West Africa, to North and South America, where they were owned by, and forced to work for the wealthy.
Despite the tough conditions that the African slaves were forced to work under, they would always do their best to maintain the aspects of their culture, be it socially, religiously or politically, and this was most often through the means of dance. As African dance is a very sacred part of their culture, throughout the years, their dances have become a form of release from their horrific experiences within the slave trade; the freedom that their dancing provided was uplifting and became an outlet and escape for many of the people enslaved.
As African culture is very close to nature, their dances are often very grounded and rely on the aspect of sound; this is usually done by using a lot stomping, keeping their feet connected to the ground as much as possible. Most dances often had people keeping their knees bent, and releasing the movement of their hips, resulting in them being lower …show more content…
Sound, such as drumming or clapping makes up a large part of dance, as it provides a beat the feels very freeing; something that was sought out often by the African slaves. This technique was adapted over the years, and with the influences of European culture, many African dances developed and became a mix of Black and White influenced dance, such as the Charleston and the
Throughout the years, Africans have undergone a dramatic change in terms of how they are viewed in society (this is a movement still ongoing today in America). During the 1800s, the slave trade brought many millions of Africans, primarily from West Africa, to North and South America, where they were owned by, and forced to work for the wealthy.
Despite the tough conditions that the African slaves were forced to work under, they would always do their best to maintain the aspects of their culture, be it socially, religiously or politically, and this was most often through the means of dance. As African dance is a very sacred part of their culture, throughout the years, their dances have become a form of release from their horrific experiences within the slave trade; the freedom that their dancing provided was uplifting and became an outlet and escape for many of the people enslaved.
As African culture is very close to nature, their dances are often very grounded and rely on the aspect of sound; this is usually done by using a lot stomping, keeping their feet connected to the ground as much as possible. Most dances often had people keeping their knees bent, and releasing the movement of their hips, resulting in them being lower …show more content…
Sound, such as drumming or clapping makes up a large part of dance, as it provides a beat the feels very freeing; something that was sought out often by the African slaves. This technique was adapted over the years, and with the influences of European culture, many African dances developed and became a mix of Black and White influenced dance, such as the Charleston and the