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De Marabidans
Set in a Johannesburg township, this novel looks at the everyday lives of the township inhabitants.
198 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1984
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Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews
October 1, 2020
The Marabi Dance does not particularly pull up any trees in regard to it literary imprint or status. It is rather a readable and enjoyable story from the slums of a Johannesburg township in the 1930s; predominantly focusing on a young girl called Martha and her family.
Martha is a young girl reaching womanhood and struggling to keep in line with her parents' traditional views and ritual laws, instead wanting to enjoy the burgeoning social scene on offer to her own generation - bioscopes, Marabi parties and her passion for singing.
The tensions between parent and child are tested once Martha becomes of marrying age and is smitten with a local city gang member. Meanwhile, her father happens upon an opportunity to ease his own familial tensions by marrying his daughter into the family he has been alienated from for rejecting the ritual path of marriage himself after getting a woman in the city pregnant (Martha's mother) - refusing to leave her to bring up a baby alone and marrying her instead.
The juxtaposition of choices and values of each generation are particularly strong and Dikobe subtly highlights the inherent problems in both as well as underlining the constant and sad trail of victims that trying to impress values and beliefs on others leaves in its wake. In this case it is very much black Africans, women and the illegitimate children of false promises of love who litter the pages here.
Dikobe's work is definitely important in regard to its inclusion of racial and poverty issues but I get the impression it is far from a flagship book on these subjects. It is more a cultural study and drama concerning the specific time and region.
I enjoy reading books like this - different cultures, customs and people far removed from my own life. 3/5
Martha is a young girl reaching womanhood and struggling to keep in line with her parents' traditional views and ritual laws, instead wanting to enjoy the burgeoning social scene on offer to her own generation - bioscopes, Marabi parties and her passion for singing.
The tensions between parent and child are tested once Martha becomes of marrying age and is smitten with a local city gang member. Meanwhile, her father happens upon an opportunity to ease his own familial tensions by marrying his daughter into the family he has been alienated from for rejecting the ritual path of marriage himself after getting a woman in the city pregnant (Martha's mother) - refusing to leave her to bring up a baby alone and marrying her instead.
The juxtaposition of choices and values of each generation are particularly strong and Dikobe subtly highlights the inherent problems in both as well as underlining the constant and sad trail of victims that trying to impress values and beliefs on others leaves in its wake. In this case it is very much black Africans, women and the illegitimate children of false promises of love who litter the pages here.
Dikobe's work is definitely important in regard to its inclusion of racial and poverty issues but I get the impression it is far from a flagship book on these subjects. It is more a cultural study and drama concerning the specific time and region.
I enjoy reading books like this - different cultures, customs and people far removed from my own life. 3/5
April 11, 2019
A journey it was to read this book. I laughed and was absolutely deranged at some point by the honesty of each character's journey. I loved the language of the writing. I would read it all over again without a doubt it is a great classic.
May 12, 2008
I found this a little difficult to get through, with the large amounts of Afrikaans and other languages sprinkled throughout. I felt like I only really had a clear idea of what was going on much of the time because of having read about Tswana witchdoctors in one anthropology class and various African customs of bridewealth/cattle exchange in another class.
This, like Cities of Salt, is part of the syllabus for the 'Reading Cultures' class which I T.A. All of these novels dealing with various colonial situations and the grafting of European industrial capitalism onto other cultures, seem to me to be absolutely dripping with anxiety... reading them, for me, is an experience of plunging into a feeling of unease for the duration of the book. I feel like it's a good to be reading them, but they leave me sort of emotionally tense afterwards.
This, like Cities of Salt, is part of the syllabus for the 'Reading Cultures' class which I T.A. All of these novels dealing with various colonial situations and the grafting of European industrial capitalism onto other cultures, seem to me to be absolutely dripping with anxiety... reading them, for me, is an experience of plunging into a feeling of unease for the duration of the book. I feel like it's a good to be reading them, but they leave me sort of emotionally tense afterwards.
October 30, 2016
Marabi music was played in the 'black' townships especially during the early 20th century.
This book, set in the 'slums' near Johannesburg, is a novel about the clash between African tribal customs and traditions and modern (20th century) ways of life.
Martha, the heroine of the story, falls in love with a Marabi musician George. Many other girls have already fallen for him. Her family and the neighbours are not keen on this relationship.
Martha's uncle wants his son to marry her. As with many 'arranged' bethrothals, love is not at the primary concern of her uncle.
This short but densely packed novel skilfully explores the competition between 'tribal' mores and the stresses of living and working as a 'black' person in the racist South African environment of the 20th century.
This book, set in the 'slums' near Johannesburg, is a novel about the clash between African tribal customs and traditions and modern (20th century) ways of life.
Martha, the heroine of the story, falls in love with a Marabi musician George. Many other girls have already fallen for him. Her family and the neighbours are not keen on this relationship.
Martha's uncle wants his son to marry her. As with many 'arranged' bethrothals, love is not at the primary concern of her uncle.
This short but densely packed novel skilfully explores the competition between 'tribal' mores and the stresses of living and working as a 'black' person in the racist South African environment of the 20th century.
Displaying 1 - 4 of 4 reviews