Zimbabwe girl dies fleeing traditional dancers

A nine-year-old girl fell to her death in Zimbabwe while fleeing traditional dancers who were performing in Mabvuku, a suburb east of the capital, Harare.

Police in a statement on Wednesday said the girl died after falling to the ground while running away from the Nyau dancers at a school in Mabvuku on Monday.

Investigations are in progress, police said without giving further details.

The Nyau dancers, also known as zvigure/izitandari in Shona, often scare children with their cryptic dances and costumes.

Apart from their fascinating dances, the dancers are associated with a lot of myths among adults, but to young children, they are monsters, local media say.

The Nyau dancers belong to the Chewa community in north-western Zimbabwe. The ethnic group is also found in Malawi and Zambia.

The dancers assist in passing down the culture and history of the Chewa people.

This article originally appeared on BBC News

Photo: The Chronicle