Thursday, October 10, 2013

Twerking - A Traditional African Dance

Rihanna Performing Ancient African Ritual Dance - The Twerk

 @HuffingtonPost Shame on you Miley Cyrus.You no better.Stop the twerking. #ItAintCool


Why is the Reverend reprimanding Miley for twerking? Why are so many black people ticked off about it? Well, apparently, and according to the following article, twerking is a traditional African ritual dance.  In her latest video, "Pour It Up", Rihanna is sending a message to Miley Cyrus as well.  The message? Twerking belongs to the African American community, b***h.  
Rihanna Reclaims Twerking: I get how 'twerking,' as exhibited across black America in recent years, has often been symptomatic of bigger, societal ills (sexism, misogyny, male-privilege, exploitation), but the rhythmic movements definitely have distinct African roots. The internal dialogue that needed to be had amongst our people about the evolution of this kind of dancing never really happened in earnest and now, the hella-appropriative mainstream popular culture has convinced the world that it's just a trend invented by a Disney star. Rihanna's 'Pour It Up,' while subversive and problematic in many ways, is also equal parts a statement and a reclamation of sorts. It's Rhianna's way of saying "this is ours," and for that, I appreciate her.(Jermaine Spradley, Multicultural Editor)
Mr. Spradley, you've piddled on my leg and now you are telling me it's raining, shame on you.  Rihanna's video is about strippers who dance like strippers.  Strippers have been shaking their money makers for centuries, and most have never been to Africa nor have they seen the video you source, African Street Kids Dancing, to learn this traditional African art of 'twerking'.  Nice try though.  

More of Rihanna performing traditional African dance
By the way, in what African village did they learn to swing from poles, smoke, and stuff money down their g-strings?  Did they also "Whistle" while they Twurked? I'd post the words to this Ying/Yang song but they are too degrading to women, even women like Rihanna, to repeat.  Hopefully 'whistling' was not a part of the street kids dance.

FYI: The true origin of Twerking is said to have come from New Orleans in the early 90's in the form of 'bounce' music.  New Orleans is where Miley failed miserably at learning the dance.  She hasn't the ass, rhythm, or the true nastiness it takes to pull off twerking.

Big Freeda takes most of the credit for twerking - he is the "Queen" of twerking, I believe.