Girls dancing

Singing and dancing are the most popular pastimes in Malawi. There are some dances just for girls and some dances just for boys.

A dance called "makhanya" is for girls and boys. To perform this dance, a group of girls stand in a line facing a line of boys. All participants sing and clap their hands. While singing and clapping hands, a boy goes across dancing to a girl of his choice. The boy tags the girl, who then dances back across to the line of boys. She chooses a boy who dances back across to the line of girls, and so it continues. Makhanya is performed to celebrate weddings, or upon the completion of religious rituals, and many times in the evenings just for fun.


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