This post part of a series, in which we try to understand the essence of theater in São Tomé e Príncipe. There’s a lot of music and dancing in Santomean theater, almost to the point that for a moment I thought I was writing an article on Santomean dances – we will see why this is not the case.
There’s quite a number of popular theater pieces in the archipelago, including the Tragedy of Marquis of Mantua and the Emperor Charlemagne, better known as Tchiloli, and Floripes, which is enacted on Principe. But this time we focus on Danco-Congo, which I think is the most colorful.
Danco-Congo
Danço-Congo is a great big show. Mostly enacted on religious holidays, for example during the Gravana Arts Festival every month of August. The full title of the piece is The Tragedy of Captain Congo (Tragédia do Capitão Congo).
There’s a great story to the dance. For me this is the key point what makes Danco-Congo so theatrical. The story is rooted in a Congolese folktale, starting when an old plantation owner dies, leaving the roca (plantation) to his four stupid sons, who quite are inept in managing the farm. Here a clear comparison becomes evident between the sons, and the Angolans, who are depicted as strong and brave. This piece was prohibited by the Portuguese during colonization. I guess they didn’t appreciate their portrayal.
Canal Santola says, this is the most African of all the Santomean dances. Donald Burness says it’s a warrior dance. Caroline S. Shaw says it’s a ritual and a spectacle. Without any academic credentials whatsowever, I say it’s a great piece of theater.
This post part of a series, in which we try to understand the essence of theater in São Tomé e Príncipe. There’s a lot of music and dancing in Santomean theater, almost to the point that for a moment I thought I was writing an article on Santomean dances – we will see why this is not the case.
There’s quite a number of popular theater pieces in the archipelago, including the Tragedy of Marquis of Mantua and the Emperor Charlemagne, better known as Tchiloli, and Floripes, which is enacted on Principe. But this time we focus on Danco-Congo, which I think is the most colorful.
Danco-Congo
Danço-Congo is a great big show. Mostly enacted on religious holidays, for example during the Gravana Arts Festival every month of August. The full title of the piece is The Tragedy of Captain Congo (Tragédia do Capitão Congo).
There’s a great story to the dance. For me this is the key point what makes Danco-Congo so theatrical. The story is rooted in a Congolese folktale, starting when an old plantation owner dies, leaving the roca (plantation) to his four stupid sons, who quite are inept in managing the farm. Here a clear comparison becomes evident between the sons, and the Angolans, who are depicted as strong and brave. This piece was prohibited by the Portuguese during colonization. I guess they didn’t appreciate their portrayal.
Canal Santola says, this is the most African of all the Santomean dances. Donald Burness says it’s a warrior dance. Caroline S. Shaw says it’s a ritual and a spectacle. Without any academic credentials whatsowever, I say it’s a great piece of theater.
