SOUTH AFRICA: First African Country to Legalize Homosexual Marriages | 10 THINGS TO KNOW ABOUT IT
When you say “South Africa”, it sends most people back to the Apartheid era and others see right away: Lions, Safaris and Mandela. But, what else do you take away from South Africa? .. It is the country of origin of most of your favorite dances, the first African country to have legalized same-sex marriage, ...but hey, we’re not going to quote everything in the introduction
South African music speaks volumes about its ability to celebrate all aspects of its diverse culture. And first, did you know that they have a multilingual national anthem ? Yup. It’s called “Nkosi Sikelel iAfrika”.
Elsewhere in South Africa, people play kwaito which is the African house music style, they also play jazz, hip hop, Afrikaans rock, African gospel, classic rock, pop, traditional drums, Afrikaans sakkie sakkie and many others.
As for dancing, it has always been of great importance in South Africa. It is versatile and energetic. It was first a form of celebration for ancestors worship as well as a way for warriors to show their strength as they approached combat. The country has different styles of dance that each tell a story, whether it started in response to oppression or just groove fun. South African dance sets trends with its unique dance styles. Here are a few: the “Gwara Gwara” developed by the renowned Dj Bongz; the “Malwedhe” developed by King Monada; the “IsiPantsula” that emerged in the 1950s and 1960s during Apartheid; the “AmaPiano” has fast movements - body bursts and it's a dance in vogue these days. The other trend is the “jerusalema dance challenge”.
Religion holds a central place in the lives of most people in South Africa, Lesotho and Swaziland, where churches are generally very busy. Christianity dominates in all three countries, its followers representing 80% of the South African population.
Among the most important, the Dutch Reformed Church has more than 1 million faithful and more than 1,000 temples in the country. Much les
