Upward Spirit III (Tanzania, Zanzibar)

In Maasai culture, the adumu —often mistakenly called the “jumping dance”—is much more than a physical performance. It is a coded rite, reserved for the Moran , young initiated men who have become warriors. Each vertical leap is a silent affirmation of vitality, discipline, and self-control. It is not about breaking a record, but about expressing an inner energy capable of connecting earth and sky, effort and grace.

Traditionally, these dances are not performed "for" the outside gaze. They mark pivotal moments: initiation, alliance, rain festival. Their rhythm is organized in circles, without drums, only by collective breathing—a vocal drone, pulsating and deep, which acts as an invisible base for the suspension of bodies.

In Zanzibar, these performances take on a different resonance: the Moran come there temporarily to work as guards or vendors. But through these gestures, they remind us that their identity is not erased. Even outside their ancestral territory, they reaffirm their roots in a living memory.