Li Du had known that many Africans loved to express their emotions through song and
dance. They would spontaneously start dancing and singing around a bonfire.
Now, he learned that they also expressed their sorrow and mournfulness using song
and dance. Once the party started, the Golden Grass tribe played the drums and some
sort of string instrument as they danced around the bonfire.
Initially, they sang in somber tones to praise the deceased as a gesture of mourning.
However, as they continued to sing, their voices became more spirited and their
dance moves merrier, losing the earlier melancholy. Li Du found them to be strangely
happy.
At first, almost everybody participated in the dancing and singing. As time passed,
however, people began to drop off for a hearty drink.
The alcohol lifted their spirits and the men became even more joyous. The drumming
