While Polka has been the most popular dance over the years since it made headlines during the Khawa Dune Challenge and Cultural Festival, there is the emergence of an ancient dance that is seemingly catching the eye.
Namastap has somehow took over to become the people’s favourite during the recent Khawa Dune Challenge and Cultural Festival. After missing out in the past two years due to COVID-19, it was obvious that attendants were looking forward to the Polka Festival Night. The Polka Festival Night has become one of the most popular events of the Khawa Dune Challenge and Cultural Festival. The show provides an assemblage of entertainment by various traditional groups.
People had made their way early in the afternoon of the event to take positions at the “stadium” to wait in anticipation for performances that would start later in the evening.
The Polka Festival Night has been credited for catapulting the polka dance to popularity in the country in the past years, especially during former president Ian Khama’s reign. Khama was a staunch fan of the dance. But Namastap dance, which was originally not part of the Polka Festival Night at inception, was introduced to show cultural diversity. The dance is warming up to take over the event and sustain its dominance.
Two groups, Khoesip Cultural Group from Tsabong and !Khara Khoen Nama Stap easily became the darlings of the crowd during the Polka Night Festival. The two groups were among the 10 groups that performed during the event and displayed best performances to become the centre of attraction instantly.
It was evident that the groups had displaced polka outfit, Gareng Ga Dithota Youth Group as the festival favourites. Groups that performed were Trek É’Ding Polka Group, Speelnog Polka, Bly Geseend Polka Group, Geniet Met Ons Polka Group, Ales As Mondlek Polka, and Kalahari Dancers. The two groups delivered unmatched and dominant performances to the enjoyment of the spectators and dignitaries with their unique dance moves. Although very similar to Polka, the Namastap dance is unique in that it combines both polka, phathisi and styles of pantsula dance.
At first it was not easy to tell the difference between the two dances because Namastap has similar melodies to Polka. But it was how the male dancers entered the area that puzzled me. Their moves had everyone on their feet.
Namastap is energetic in pace and demands a lot of fancy footwork compared to polka. It is said the dance is an important symbol for the Nama identity and is performed during social gatherings. This lively dance was performed around the campfire after hunting expeditions, good harvest or during a celebration.
Whereas during a Polka dance, the male and female partners hold each other most of the time, Namastap gives the men more freedom to dance and explicitly move their legs.
While everyone knows Polka dance as the most popular style, it is now clear that Namastap is the new toast of the Kgalagadi cultural tourism. The two groups’ performances during the Polka Night Festival had the crowd cheering and giving them standing ovation.
