Gule Wamkulu: The Great Malawian Dance

2025.05.29
Writer / 記事を書いた人
Bridget
Republic of Malawi(マラウイ共和国)

My name is Bridget but most people call me Bree. I’m from Malawi. I love trying new foods, listening to music, watching movies and traveling.

Article

Gule Wamkulu: The Great Malawian Dance

▼ 記事の音声を再生

<Let's learn!>
・A who …
・made from …
・remind(s) A of …
=====================================

In Malawi, we have a traditional dance called the Gule Wamkulu. This dance is performed by men who belong to a secret group called the Nyau of the Chewa tribe. When these men perform this dance, they wear colorful masks and costumes made from grass, cloth and feathers. The masks are made to look like spirits, animals or people.
Gule Wamkulu is performed at important events such as weddings, initiation ceremonies and funerals. Malawians love this dance. It is a way to teach values, respect our ancestors and entertain people.
The Gule Wamkulu dancers move in special ways to tell stories and send messages. While the dances may be scary, they are exciting and full of energy. This dance is a very important part of Malawian culture. It helps keep traditions alive and reminds people of their beliefs and history.

-------------------------------
【出典】
By Twiggalite - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55008313

日本語訳を見る

Key Points

Repeat each word(s) and example sentence(s) after your teacher/tutor.

Key Phrases 重要表現

A who …

…するA(人)

関係代名詞

This is a man who can speak seven languages.

made from …

…から作られる

This meat is made from soybeans.

remind(s) A of …

Aに…を思い出させる

That song reminds me of my childhood.

Key Vocabulary 重要単語・熟語

called

kɔːld

と呼ばれる

動詞(過去分詞)

to give somebody/something a particular name

That planet is called Jupiter.

belong

bəlˈɔːŋ

所属する

動詞

To be a member of a particular group, organization, or place

James belongs to the Los Angeles Book Club.

tribe

trάɪb

部族

名詞

a group of people of the same ethnic group living together in an area

She has studied this Native American tribe for a long time.

values

ˈvæljuz

価値観

名詞

beliefs about how to live a moral life

Each person has different values.

belief

bəlíːf

信念

名詞

an idea that you are certain is true

Our belief is that every child deserves a quality education.

Others その他

traditional

trədíʃ(ə)nəl

伝統的な

形容詞

following the customs or ways of behaving that have continued in a group of people for a long time

These are the traditional foods for Christmas.

grass

grˈæs

草、芝生

名詞

a common plant with thin, green leaves that grows close to the ground

The grass is always greener on the other side.

spirit

spírɪt

名詞

The nonphysical part of a person, believed in many religions to survive after death and to be able to exist separately from the body.

I don't believe in spirits.

initiation

ɪnìʃiéɪʃən

通過儀礼、入門

名詞

the process of officially introducing someone into a club or group, or of introducing a young person to adult life, often with a special ceremony

In many countries, marriage is an important initiation into adulthood.

funeral

fjúːn(ə)rəl

葬式

名詞

a ceremony for honouring a person who has died, before the body is buried or burned

I attended the funeral of someone who helped me a lot in the past.

while

(h)wάɪl

~だけれども

接続詞

although

While I like sports, I'm not good at swimming.

alive

əlάɪv

生きている、生存している、活動的な

形容詞

living, not dead

Japan keeps many ancient traditions alive.

Practice

Fill in the blanks to complete the sentence.

There are some students (___) have read this book in this class.

ヒント:A who …

回答を見る

There are some students (who) have read this book in this class.

The piece of art was (___) (___) plastic bottles.

ヒント:made from …

回答を見る

The piece of art was (made) (from) plastic bottles.

This music (___) me (___) the trip I went on with my family.

ヒント:remind(s) A of …

回答を見る

This music (reminds) me (of) the trip I went on with my family.

Article

Read the article aloud on your own or repeat each paragraph after your teacher/tutor.

Gule Wamkulu: The Great Malawian Dance

<Let's learn!>
・A who …
・made from …
・remind(s) A of …
=====================================

In Malawi, we have a traditional dance called the Gule Wamkulu. This dance is performed by men who belong to a secret group called the Nyau of the Chewa tribe. When these men perform this dance, they wear colorful masks and costumes made from grass, cloth and feathers. The masks are made to look like spirits, animals or people.
Gule Wamkulu is performed at important events such as weddings, initiation ceremonies and funerals. Malawians love this dance. It is a way to teach values, respect our ancestors and entertain people.
The Gule Wamkulu dancers move in special ways to tell stories and send messages. While the dances may be scary, they are exciting and full of energy. This dance is a very important part of Malawian culture. It helps keep traditions alive and reminds people of their beliefs and history.

-------------------------------
【出典】
By Twiggalite - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=55008313

Questions

Answer the questions based on the article.

What is the name of the Malawian dance?

ヒント:In Malawi, we have a traditional dance called …

回答を見る

It is (called) the Gule Wamkulu.

What do men wear when they perform the traditional dance?

ヒント:When these men perform this dance, they wear …

回答を見る

They wear colorful masks and costumes made from grass, cloth and feathers.

Why is this dance important in Malawian culture?

ヒント:This dance is a very important part of Malawian culture. It helps …

回答を見る

Because it helps keep traditions alive and reminds people of their beliefs and history.

Discussion

Let’s have a discussion about the theme with your teacher/tutor or classmates.

With your teacher/tutor 先生とのディスカッション

What do you think about this dance?

I think it is ~.

Do you know any unique dances around the world?
If yes→ What is it?

Yes, I do./ No, I don't.
If yes→ I know ~.

Do you have any traditional dance festivals in your hometown?
If yes→ What is it?

Yes, I do./ No, I don't.
If yes→ It is~.

With your classmates クラスメートとのディスカッション

Do you want to see or join this dance? Why or why not?

Yes, I do./ No, I don't.
Because ~.

How do you feel when you dance?

I feel ~./ It makes me feel ~.

What Japanese dance do you want to share with foreigners and why?

I want to share ~. It is ~.