{"id":32586,"date":"2025-06-20T13:29:08","date_gmt":"2025-06-20T12:29:08","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.esafrica.es\/?p=32586"},"modified":"2025-06-20T13:37:23","modified_gmt":"2025-06-20T12:37:23","slug":"gures-africas-ultra-secret-dancers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.esafrica.es\/en\/uncategorized\/gures-africas-ultra-secret-dancers\/","title":{"rendered":"Gures: Africa\u2019s Ultra Secret Dancers\u2019."},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Africa is home to many centuries-old traditions and cultures some of which still remain a mystery evenamong Africans themselves. However, in Southern Africa, none of these ancient traditional practices ismore, fascinating and enigmatic than the Gure tradition. So secretive is this tradition that people onlyget to see them when they perform their dances in public. But even when you see them dancing, weirdmasks and outfits will conceal their true identities from you. <\/p>\n\n

Gures as people who practice this tradition are commonly known are members of a subculture of clantribesmen who often gather at secluded spots to perform their traditional rituals. For one to become aGure, you have to first pass through a secret initiation where you are schooled and tested about yourability to keep secrets and to follow some of their traditional do\u2019s and don\u2019ts. What really happensduring these secret meetings is \u2018classified but it is widely believed that they practise ancestral worshipand use of black magic among other tribal traditional practice activities like use of black magic. <\/p>\n\n

A brief history of Gures in Zimbabwe<\/h2>\n\n

In Zimbabwe, Gure culture was introduced by immigrants from Zambia and Malawi who came to workin mines and farms during the Rhodesia Federation<\/a> era in the fifties and sixties. Back then in thecolonial era, this culture was mostly confined to farming and mining compounds where most of theseimmigrants worked and lived. Out there, Gure dancing sessions were almost the sole source of weekendentertainment for many Africans. By the time Zimbabwe attained Independence in 1980, Gure traditionshad already spread to most Zimbabwean urban centres including the capital city Harare. <\/p>\n\n

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Gure masks, outfits, and mysteries.<\/h2>\n\n

Even though, Gure customs<\/a> and practices still remain a sort of a mystery to many Africans who areoutside their extremely closemouthed culture. In southern African countries like Zimbabwe, Zambia,Malawi, and to a lesser extent Mozambique, many people still believe that they possess magical andsupernatural powers that can be used in their favour or to cast spells against their foes. On the otherhand, some dismiss them as an outdated and primitive practice. Even though, in Zimbabwe where I wasborn and bred, for instance, Gures are despised and revered in almost equal terms. <\/p>\n\n

If Gures\u2019 perceived magical powers do not shock you, their masks and outfits can. Depending on theGure group clan, Gure masks can be in the form of primeval headgear that is adorned with strangeobjects like snake skins, wild bird feathers, and even teeth or tails of wild animals. Others can resembleunconventional human faces, ghosts or dragons or even gods. Most Gure masks always attempt todepict a creature that is unearthly, weird or even obscene in some cases. <\/p>\n\n

But whatever face depicted, most Gure masks are either comical or out rightly petrifying to thebeholder. It is widely believed that among the Gures, the masks are scarred items, the soul of the Gureto be more precise not just something to scare you. In some Gure groups, it is rumoured that everymask symbolizes a rank or status in the group. These ranks, according to Gure insiders, cannot be clearlyunderstood by mere mortals outside the reticent Gure circle <\/p>\n\n

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Gure dance shows.<\/h2>\n\n

Even though some people regard their practices, masks and beliefs as primitive, Gure dance shows havehelped them to remain relevant in modern cultural and intertainment circles. Long back Gures used tolimit their dances ceremonies to their local communities mostly at occasions like funerals, weddings orget to gather occasions. Gure dances are always free of charge and they are usually conducted at openspaces where different Gure sects compete in outwitting each other on the dance stage. <\/p>\n\n

Whatever the reason they perform dance shows for, their unique and exciting dancing styles are amagnet to the crowds. Powered by intense drum beating, singing, ululating and whistling, Gure dancersin their bizarre masks and outfits are always a delight to watch. For many Gure dance show fans<\/a>, it isthese dancing styles rather than the myths surrounding them which separate them from othertraditional Zimbabwean dancers<\/strong>. <\/p>\n\n

In a way, these regular dance sessions have provided them with a constituency of loyal fans both locallyand internationally. Gure dance styles can range from slow to quick and simple to aggressive moves.Some might seem coordinated whilst others appear to be without any common pattern. Then there areother dance moves where the dancer just appears to dancers some sexual overtones.. Like many othertraditional dancers dance are backed by drummers and singers who provide the rhythm for the dancers. <\/p>\n\n

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Present day Gures<\/h2>\n\n

In Harare which is the epicentre of everything modern in Zimbabwe, there seems to be very little spacefor the so-called ancient cultures. But to the surprise of many, Gure culture has not only survived theonslaught of modernity, but it has adapted well to its demand. Today Gure groups have theirassociation, something not expected from the so-called \u201cprimitive cultures\u201d. <\/p>\n\n

Even on the entertainment scene, Gures are no longer confined to documentaries or high-densitysuburbs. In Harare, Gure dancers sometimes times perform at major and regular international crowd-pulling events like The Harare Agricultural Show<\/a>, Harare International Street Carnival and HarareInternational Festival of The Arts (HIFA)<\/a>. During major national or public events like The IndependenceDay Celebrations, they are always a crowd favourite and in some cases a draw card on their own right. <\/p>\n\n

But wherever you will see Gure dancers in Africa, they will always be putting on masks. During thedance shows some Gures interact with fans while others even dance with them. But however friendlythe Gures might be to you, it is the ultimate taboo to try to unmask them or see their faces because inthis tradition, the Gure’s identity must always remain a secret. <\/p>\n\n

<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa is home to many centuries-old traditions and cultures some of which still remain a mystery evenamong Africans themselves. However, in Southern Africa, none of these ancient traditional practices ismore, fascinating and enigmatic than the Gure tradition. So secretive is this tradition that people onlyget to see them when they perform their dances in public. […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":34553,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2404],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-32586","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esafrica.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32586","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esafrica.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esafrica.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esafrica.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esafrica.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=32586"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.esafrica.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/32586\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esafrica.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/34553"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.esafrica.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=32586"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esafrica.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=32586"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.esafrica.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=32586"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}