Schools must recognise non-European cultural forms of expressions

DURBAN has a rich culture of Afro-Indian and English traditions rarely appreciated and hardly acknowledged outside of one's cultural orbit.

- DEVI RAJAB

So when great events happen they do so in cultural silos.

The Playhouse in Durban this week had an unusual audience of indentured offspring from the South Indian Tamil and Telugu communities, all bedecked in richly coloured silk saris known as Kanjivarumnamed after the part of India where this silk is spun and woven into 6 metres of wearable garments. These saris are considered to be as valuable as gold. They had come together to witness a young girl's coming of age through dance and music. This auspicious occasion is a celebration of the glory of a great tradition of an ancient culture rarely known or appreciated outside of its cultural ambit. An Arangetram is a significant event in the life of a classical Indian Bharatanatyam dancer, as it marks the end of training and the beginning of a career.

It is a showcase of the dancer's skills and the culmination of years of hard work and dedication. The Aarangetram is the final expression of years of learning, understanding, and practice of devotion, moulding the body to the mind in a graceful expression of gratitude to the Lord under a master. As a classical dance form, Bharatanatyam, dates back over 2 000 years. Despite its complex grammar, rich philosophical roots, and spiritual significance, it continues to be sidelined in schools across the country - especially in elite private schools, where Eurocentric art forms, such as ballet, are revered as the pinnacle of cultural expression. We have come a long way today in terms of opportunities for our children in dance and drama, but cultural silos limit our appreciation of the arts to a particular sector of society, and whilst ballet may be regarded as mainstream, Bharatnatyam is still very much an exclusive art form peculiar to South Indians and embedded in religious and cultural practices.