Moral Panic: Hidden Stories of <i>Kangamoko</i> Dancers in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

Abstract

Kangamoko dancers are accused of ruining the moral values of the society on account of dancing styles which stimulate sexual feelings. This paper seeks to understand the dynamics that push Kangamoko dancers to engage in such a dance. Besides the moral judgment, the paper seeks to understand the social and economic factors that motivate dancers to engage in a dance condemned for distorting the image and identity of Tanzania. The paper uses life history as principal method of collecting data, coupling it with observation and interviews. The concept of moral panic is employed as an analytical framework to put into perspective the stories narrated by the dancers. The paper argues that dancers’ motivation to perform the dance accused of devastating moral values is born out of socio-economic dilemmas that are deeply rooted in the class structure. These dilemmas include: unemployment, poverty, inadequate education, limited skills and lack of individual recognition.