Northern Nigeria: Cultural Practices – The Koroso Dance

Jeremiah Aluwong

3 years ago

Rich cultural heritage. Mouth-watering local dishes. Colourful traditional attires. The list of the exciting and interesting aspects of Northern Nigeria are endless. This article explores just one aspect: traditional dance. More specifically, the Koroso traditional dance: colourful and athletic dance of the Hausa/Fulani tribe that has been performed for centuries.

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Background

The Koroso dance is one of the most popular traditional dances in Nigeria and is often attributed to the people of the Kano state in Northern Nigeria. One reason is that the dance has over the years become popular in Kano State, as all important events are graced with the presence and performance of the dance group. Though very simple looking in nature and uncomplicated, the dance requires a lot of attention and skills because sometimes the movements and figures created by the dancers’ bodies look incredible.

Nature of the dance

The name was derived from the rattle tied around the dancers’ legs. The special leg items which the performers wear create a specific noise and additional sound to the music. The dancers are also adorned with multi-coloured costumes such as beads, bracelets, and anklets made of rattling beads called ‘Koroso’, after which the dance is named. The dance is accompanied by a flute called “Sarewa” which produces several traditional musical notes that lead the dancers on as they perform the dance, showing their agility and strength. The dance is performed in such a way that a change in the music dictates the change from one dancing style to another.

The dance is also characterized by the fusion of so many other selected dance movements from various traditional dances of the Hausa and Fulani people of Kano state. The dance is performed by strong and energetic youths because it demands the use of every part of the body, with special attention paid to uniformity and precision in movement and dance steps. The dance is done in pairs, while both performers help each other by assisting each other to achieve impossible shapes and striving individually to outdo the other and overcome the competitors within the same dance. It is an incredibly beautiful and entertaining dance.

Special events

Almost 50 years since its creation, Koroso dance remains a contemporary folk dance that is performed mostly during social events such as turbaning of an Emir and marriage ceremonies. Prior to the above and long before the arrival of the Sokoto Caliphate, the dance was a major feature where the Fulani and Hausa tribes had big festivities. These festivals had a major characteristic of taking place during the season of the hot and dusty wind known as harmattan. This season was the closing one in the annual cycle. During this season, people joined to celebrate the beginning of another year and have some fun. In so doing, large crowds had the privilege of watching such spectacle of dance. In recent times, however, the most popular place to watch and enjoy the dance performance is at the Gidan Makama Museum in Kano state. Constructed in the 15th century, the Gidan Makama Museum is one of the oldest museums in the world, with a significant collection of arts, crafts, and items of historic interest related to the Kano area. Sources: Refined NG Golectures Legit NG Featured Image Source: Legit Ng

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