Identity, dance and Islam among people with Bantu origins in riverine areas ofSomalia

It is widely recognized' that accounts of a country's customs, history, and people not only influence its public image but may also have retrospective effects on the way its people perceive and describe themselves. When constructing an image of somali;, therefore, it must be borne in mind that the process of categorizing people by describing them is part of this construction. The impression that Somalis are closer to an Arab cultural context than an African one is reflected by the common characterization of Somali studies as distinct from other East African literature. From the point of view of someone who has lived in Somalia, however, it is apparent that large numbers of Somali people of Bantu-speaking ancestry who practice agriculture as their main economic activity and share cultural traditions with other East Africans have been omitted from description, for they do not fit this characterization. In this article I do not analyze the historical and political reasons why this is the case. Because many dances are perceived as being part of a monolithic "African" heritage, this paper shall attempt to reveal the conflicting and interacting identities underlying dance performances in rural areas of Somalia. Much of what is related to dance in the rural area covered by this study is usually designated religious conflict between Islam and tradition; in an Islamic cultural context, this controversia1 matter is dealt with within the ritual dimensions of the law (ibaadat). In fact, dance performance conceals various aspects concerning the identity of the people and is related to the interna1 dynamics within social strata in Somalia. Finally, this essay will illuminate what is at stake in dance performances and how they become political statements.