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Mkhululi Ncube, Showbiz Reporter
One of the captivating effects of rhumba music is that those who attend the live shows cannot get enough of the high-energy dance routines, something which has made the genre very popular.

If you watch the dancers closely, another thing that stands out is their waist bags also called fanny packs. The dancers have become so inseparable from these bags that are now their trademark.

The bags have stuck to the waists of the dancers as if they are the glue that holds the dancing legs together. To the dancers’ advantage, the fanny packs have been evolving keeping them really relevant.

“Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of their passion,” said Martha Graham. This passion is what rhumba dancers showcase on stage, leaving fans eating from their nimble feet in what rhumba musician, Themba Boyoyo Mathe calls ukufak’ unyawo.

To the curious ones and those with an eagle eye have noticed that almost all rhumba dancers always wear or carry something as part of their dance routines.

The “rhumba bags” are worn in various styles depending on the dancer’s choice and while it is almost difficult to separate rhumba dance moves from one band to another, it is easy to spot most rhumba dancers as they will be donning the waist bags.

But how did the fanny pack have such a big impact on rhumba music?

All fingers seem to be pointing to the late great rhumba legend, Ndux Malax as the main influencer of the rhumba bag. But his son Ndux Junior says although he does not know about the origin of the fanny pack, he knows that his father and his dancers used to wear them a lot.

“The bags are loved by our dancers but I cannot really pinpoint when and how they were adopted. I know that my father’s dancers used to wear them. What I can tell you is that when dancing, the bag goes along with someone nxa edlalisa iqolo,” said Junior.

Arguably the best rhumba live performer, multi-award-winning Clement Magwaza who leads Macrey Super Sounds also uses the “rhumba bags” which he said gives dancers power on stage.

“When we’re on stage and everyone is wearing it, it becomes part of our uniform and makes a good presentation. Rhumba fans always associate us with those bags and enjoy when we’re donning them. Ziyasichaza and when we do our dance routines they enhance what we do,” he said.

Magwaza said the rhumba bags are more attractive when worn by several dancers rather than a few.

Ndolwane Super Sounds — Amangwe production leader, Charles Ndebele said he first saw the fashion bags from Ndux Malax’s band. Mdolomba as Ndebele is known, also said the bags enhance dancers’ waists as they appear to be mobile when dancing.

“I first saw the pouch bags from Ndux Malax’s team and I believe they’re worn so that when they (dancers) shake their waists, movement is enhanced. The bag also comes in handy as dancers put some of their stage material, like face towels inside,” Mdolomba said.

He said dancers also use the bags to put money given to them by the appreciative crowds when doing their high-speed dances on stage.

Although Ndolwane Super Sounds initially never followed the fanny pack trend, Mdolomba said they had to bend the rule in order to accommodate former Ndux Malax dancer, Pasikunyolo who said he could not perform without the rhumba bag after joining their group.

Popular rhumba dancer, Mandlenkosi “Godolude” Mpofu who has danced for the likes of Clement Magwaza, Mlambos Express Band and now leads his own band, said the fanny pack has become a trademark for rhumba music dancers.

“The pouch bag is now our trademark, just like the hip-hop musicians who wear chains. As a dancer, I’ll be incomplete when I don’t have it on stage. The bags come in handy as well because we put our towels to wipe sweat during performances,” Godolude said.

He said there is even fierce competition among bands to have the best fanny packs on stage. As a result, Godolude said some dancers buy original labels like Fila, Adidas, Nike and Polo in order to outshine others.

He said some bands have also come up with their own designer pouch bags with their band names.

AmaThonga Brothers leader, Modius Chauke said Ndux Malax was the trendsetter who started the pouch bag fashion.

“Ndux Malax started the wearing of pouch bags and chains around the waist. He was a good dancer himself and loved moving his waist when dancing and the pouch and chains he wore fit in well. All other bands and dancers are following in the late legend’s footsteps,” he said.

Chauke said Ndux was also the first rhumba artiste to do live shows in rural areas, something which made the fanny packs a hit among the rural folk as well. He said their fashion styles did not stop with the fanny packs as they also set the standard in many other fashion trends.

“We also used to perm our hair. I remember I spent 10 years with that hairstyle and most of our band members wore that style which made us unique and identifiable as band members. This unique hairstyle was associated with Ndux.”

Outside Matabeleland, Chauke said the late Marko Sibanda of Insiza Brothers who has roots in Filabusi, but spent his music time in Harare, also adopted the pouch bag.

He said Ndux set the bar very high in terms of band branding and presentation on stage and made sure that his band looked presentable.
The fanny packs are also a hit on the streets as some members of the public who are not dancers also wear them.

Journalist and fashion enthusiast, Yoliswa Dube-Moyo said the fanny packs which were very popular in the years gone by, are back on the fashion scene these days.

“The bags have bounced back as a popular piece on the fashion scene. They are considered quite trendy now. Fashion never truly evolves.

You’ll find trends from the 80s/90s coming back slightly re-invented. A celebrity/socialite/popular someone gets hold of it, wears it in public and voila, everyone else catches on,” she opined.

She said celebrities like Kim Kardashian, Ricky Rick, DJ Zinhle and Cassper Nyovest are some of the celebrities who have brought back into fashion, the “rhumba bags” because of their huge following.

But for rhumba dancers and fans, the rhumba bag, just like the music, has never disappeared on stage. — @themkhust.