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特集映像
カメルーンの力強いジュジュダンスとムベト音楽(バッサ語)


Greetings noble viewers and welcome to this edition of Enlightening Entertainment. Today, we set off on an expedition to Cameroon to enjoy the electrifying rhythms of a popular traditional dance called Mankon Mask Dance.

We'll also discover the enchanting musical instrument called the mvet. The Mankon Mask dance has long been an indispensable component of the culture of the North-West Region of Cameroon. As a cherished feature of the Mankon culture, the dance symbolizes unity, expresses respect for culture, and brings joy to people. The dancers wear traditional attire particularly designed for the dance.

They also put on masks portraying the faces of animals to express the Oneness of creation and to show that humans and animals should live in peace and harmony. The masks concealing the identity of the dancers also add to spectators' excitement about who the dancers might be.

The instruments used in the Ngombo Mankon mask dance include xylophone, rattles, local trumpet, and tunephone, which is locally known as 『gong.』 One very peculiar aspect about the Ngombo Mankon mask dance is that it can be performed as a tribute to a very important person; in some cases, God.

African philosophy firmly believes that there must be a Supreme Being who is the Master of the universe and who can be viewed as the pioneering force of all creation.

This great being is believed to be God. In Cameroonian tradition, God is often glorified through an exhibition of traditional dances and songs. Now, let's enjoy a Ngombo Mankon mask dance performance, which accompanies the song titled, 『God is the Master of the Universe.』


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