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Folk Customs
-----She Nationality >Transmission
from Generation to Generation |
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A
She nationality wedding dance performed by the Fujian
Tourism Art Troupe.
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Returning now to those intriguing lines of
poetry, the Song of Panhu is a household song among the She,
and almost everybody can sing it. In the past it was considered
shameful for a member of the She not to be able to sing this
song, but this is no longer the case. And even though not all
young She can sing it today, they are certainly familiar with
it. This song is also sometimes accompanied by dances such as
the Dance to the Ancestors or the Hunting Dance, which depict
the life of Panhu even more vividly. Since the She people do
not have a written language, songs play a very important role
in the transmission of knowledge, culture, life experiences,
feelings and, above all, tales about their ancestors' totems.
The She are also very good at antiphonal or cross-singing. Apart
from their regular singing festivals, they use songs to convey
feelings, to abuse each other, to tell lies, and even to express
grief. Any theme may be incorporated into a song. I once even
heard a girl singing about a dream she had just had during her
siesta. |
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