Traditional Bijago Fire Dance Pic. Courtesy: http://kwekudee-tripdownmemorylane.blogspot.com
He jumped up and down and his feet stomped the ground
Fire burning, feeling nothing, he swirled round
His head light, light from the high
The high of communing with the gods
He was with them and them with him
Fire burning, burning higher
On the grounds he danced, on the floor he marched on
Fire never burning him, Fire not burning them
They jumped high, they danced with their bodies gyrating
They were high, high from being with the gods
Fire burning, feeling nothing, they swirled round
– Thots by Abi
*The traditional Bijagos Fire Dance is performed by the people of the Orango Grande Island in the Bijagos Archipelago off the coast of Guinea Bissau*
Categories: February 2014, Poem
