The origin of Belly Dancing

Belly Dancing

Source: EX Times

by Tetaun Moffett

A few weeks back someone asked me about belly dancing and while researching its origin I was astonished at what I found.  This ancient pagan practice in which today its called exercise is also a beloved social and private activity. Many have asked is belly dancing a sin?  Although belly dancing is not inherently sin. The sin arises when it’s done publicly for approval, manipulation or to arouse men that are not your husband. Whether if  it’s for money or fame, it can become an elephant in the room or a slippery slope. This article is written to provide information and insight on its origin. If your married I believe your bedroom is ‘your bedroom’ if you desire to hang from the ceiling fan that will be between you, God, your spouse and your physician. Make no mistake about it people  if your a Christian and your a stripper or a belly dancer for private parties, then need we say anymore. But lets look closely at its history and where it comes from. In no way am I demonizing anything, I was just asked to sharing the facts.

The oldest images of belly dancing exist in a 5,000 year-old tomb in Saqqara Egypt. In some Hieroglyphics, the women are depicted in dance representing “the mystery of childbirth or fertility” These same visual depictions were also found on papyrus in 1500 B.C. “belly dancing” was considered a form of sacred worship often originally associated with ancient goddess Isis, Heket and Amaunet. Ironically a dancer performs in a seductive like serpent motion. They symbolize a mythological figure of rebirth and life in most cultures, in being ‘all torso and no legs’. The dancers would thrusts their pelvis and hips to show their strength, sexuality and simulating ability to produce children. The general
basic moves were characterized as rotating hips, serpentine arms, snakelike head gestures, and abdominal undulations.

These dance motions were a common form of belly dance that drew crowds while they seduced men and collected money. The Goddess Isis is quoted as saying, “I am the whore and the holy one, when I sit in the entrance of a tavern, I, Ishtar, am a loving harimtu, a prostitute compassionate am I.” The four most popular styles of belly dance are traditional and Egyptian, Arabic-Lebanese, Turkish and Greek.

According to wikipedia.org the Ghawazee were one of the most famous dancing tribes in Egypt. The female dancers (Ghazeeye/Ghawazi) was said to be the most beautiful women in Egypt. They were also raised to be prostitutes and temple dancers. The Ghawazi performed in the streets, temples and at harem parties. They often dressed in silk and wore necklaces, anklets, 
heavy gold bracelets, nose rings and coins across their foreheads. These women also were traveling dancers of the gypsies.

In most biblical debates a very popular school of thought suggest that Salome a sacred temple dancer and daughter of Herodias danced before King Herod on his birthday to seduce him.  However after a drunken Herod was pleased at what he saw, he then replied,  “Ask me for whatever you wish, and I will grant it, even half of my kingdom.” Shortly thereafter, Salome consults with her mother, who tells her to ask for the  head of John the Baptist on a platter. The debate is rather or not she dance to arousal her father, which is just nasty, or to entertain him. That’s left to your interpretation see ( Matthews 14:1-12, Mark 6:21-23).

What’s also interesting is in 1992 U2 released a song called Salome as a b-side to their single “Even Better Than the Real Thing” The song chorus – “Shake it, shake it, shake it, Salome”. Needless to say there is an Iranian rapper from Tehran who’s moniker is Salome.

Since the feminism movement belly dance had risen as form of liberation for women; displaying their headship by the use of their body to control and dictate the roles and rights of men. It was the lust of the eyes and flesh that allure men into trances.  It benefits emotionally, spiritually and physically.  Their continuous movement flows with the beat and patterns of all kinds of music. The dance gives her power and allows her to seduce who ever lay eyes on her. Now can you image Holy Belly Dancing? Women dancing to Marvin Sapps “He saw the best in me?”

Christian belly dancing

Belling dancing

In today’s popular culture belly dancing parallels club dancing in most hip-hop and pop sub-cultural environments. From dance hall reggae to hardcore booty dancing; although the methods change the results are still the same.

Teenagers are seduced while following after lascivious and perverse lifestyles. Some transform into strippers, private dancers and others are hired on as video vixens. Recently belly dancing has become very popular in community centers, churches and other groups or organization. Nevertheless the above information now helps us put belly dancing  in prospective. Let’s not make a ministry out of it or call it a gospel or Christian thing. After all it’s just belly dancing.

In Christ with love ~ Tetaun Moffett

Scripture references: Matthews 5:28, 14:1-12, Mark 6:21-23, Proverbs 7:10, 7:22, Romans 13:14, 1 Peter 4:2-3, Ecclesiastes 7:26

Side note: Wendy Buonaventura author of Serpent of the Nile: Women and Dance in the Arab World  stated, “In ancient times, dancing was a form of communication between the human corporeal realm and the ethereal spirit realm. Belly Dancing, The Sensual Art of Energy and Spirit Among the ancient rites connected with fertility are the initiation rituals of puberty, where sexual education for girls is relayed via erotic singing and dancing. The Western expansion in the 19th century nourished the cult of otherness, particularly of the exotic and bizarre other.

Eroticism was one of the main aspects of the exotic ‘Orient’. Travelers were thus fascinated by the ‘licentious’ female dancers, who provided them with a means to express the differentness and sensuality of “the East”…The female pelvic dance died out in many parts of the world. In some areas, however, it turned from a religious rite into a secular entertainment.”