African dance will no doubt be at the top of the agenda during this season of Emancipation celebrations. Especially today, more specifically tonight at the various libation ceremonies, and tomorrow, which is Emancipation Day across the Caribbean. Dance will be a vehicle for commemoration in a range of contexts – entertainment, social, religious, traditional and ritual. However, in the African diaspora, in the Caribbean and particularly in Guyana, the question of what is African dance is relevant and cannot be taken for granted.
Because of the unmistakable impact of African slavery throughout the western world and on all the different cultural and ethnic communities across the Americas, there is a distinct African focus in the commemoration of Emancipation. Often, in the thinking of many, including African descendants themselves, it is too restricted and narrowly confined to the ‘African’ community. Yet, there is good reason for the African focus. It was the Africans whose liberation was accomplished on August 1, they were the ones for whom three centuries of a notorious life-changing international institution came to an end. On that date the African heritage claimed its proper place in the society despite the fact that the battle was not over on August 1. Liberation remains unfinished business, but the Emancipation commemoration reminds all of the importance and impact of the African presence in these regions of the world.
