17 May 2018

Polka dance has by and large evolved with the advent of the annual Khawa Dune Challenge and cultural festival, which came about in 2012.

A grizzled, weather beaten 73-year-old man of Khawa, Paul Vessagie told BOPA in an interview that he was impressed that young people have taken polka dance to another level with verve.

He said young dancers had made the same old dance moves feel new and more appealing.

With his eyes squinted against the flood lights trying to get a glimpse of the dancers as they paraded their dance moves across the stage, Vessagie had stood by, characteristic of someone his age, as loud speakers cheerfully piped one tune after the other.

Like a scalpel, the songs and the dances slowly, but surely cut through every layer of self-restraint in him.

With his forehead scrunched in thought, one could easily tell that the songs transported the old man back to distant places and times perhaps when he was young and free from the scars of life.

Seared by the memories, he started wiggling his feet along, scuttled back and bustled forward into a dance with energy.

A few hours of self-restraint have suddenly exploded into a dance. He could not hide behind a cloak of silence any further.

Vessagie said they used to dance to celebrate good life, which was characterised by good rains, successful hunting expeditions and good livestock breeding patterns.

He said they danced to thank the creator for a good year and pray for years ahead to be just as good. He recalled with an obvious tinge of sadness on his face.

Vessagie further described polka as a love dance, which he explained was the reason a dancer in former times would strictly dance with their spouse.

He explained that a dancer danced with his partner’s head nuzzled to their bosom, which he described as a show of ardent emotion of love and loyalty.

A polka dance enthusiast, Olefile Monngakgotla, whose wife originates from Gakhibana near Khawa, also resonated the assertion that each dancer back in the years would strictly dance with their spouse during social functions.

He said he once learnt it the hard way after picking just about any willing female dancer on the floor when his wife was too lazy to dance.

The cultural spectacle has also become a springboard for talented pianists in the likes of Dipogiso Raditedu, Ipopeng ‘Mapero’ Bapalang, Jan Cooper and a 14-year-old Alicurtis Vessagie. Ends