Beyond spectator culture to active joy

Last Sunday, my cousin graduated as a medical doctor. The ceremony took place in a hotel filled with our entire tribe. When they announced her entrance, she did not walk in quietly. She danced through the door with four fellow graduands, moving to music that soon had the entire hall swaying and clapping along. It took her ten minutes to dance from the entrance to her seat at the front of the hall. Each step celebrated years of struggle and study. You could feel the joy spreading through the room like a physical force.

This spontaneous celebration set the tone for the entire event. Every speaker danced to and from the podium. My uncle, a justice of the Supreme Court, danced with particular abandon. Another guest remarked on the beautiful contrast between his formal court role and this moment of pure expression. The courtroom demands solemnity, while this space welcomed unrestrained joy. This is how we celebrate milestones across Africa. We integrate dance and music into our most significant moments, from graduations to marriages to births.

The tools of active joy

Our ancestors understood that joy requires active participation. They used specific tools to generate collective happiness. The human body, the voice, and shared stories served as their instruments. Singing was not a performance but a communal act. Everyone contributed regardless of skill. The act of singing together synchronised heartbeats and regulated breathing. It released tension and created unity long before science documented these benefits.

Dancing served as both physical release and spiritual practice. The body shook off daily weariness through movement. It expressed emotions beyond words' capacity. In my work as a facilitator, I witness this power regularly. When energy wanes during meetings, I invite participants to lead a song or dance. The transformation is immediate and remarkable. Even without food or other incentives, the mood shifts dramatically. People return to work with renewed focus and positivity. This is the practical application of ancestral wisdom in modern professional spaces.

The modern spectator problem

We have largely replaced these active practices with passive consumption. The global entertainment industry sells us packaged joy. We watch other people sing and dance while we remain still. We listen through headphones in isolated bubbles. This shift from participant to spectator has neurological consequences. Passive consumption does not generate the same neurochemical benefits as active creation. It cannot build social bonds with equivalent strength.

During the 2020 lockdowns, I experienced both extremes. Stranded in a foreign hotel for nine months, I faced profound isolation. Fear of infection kept me confined to my room. Yet I discovered that dancing for hours each day preserved my sanity. The music transported me beyond those four walls. My body moved away from anxiety and toward something resembling freedom. This personal experience confirmed what our ancestors knew instinctively. Active joy is not merely entertainment. It is survival. It is medicine. It is our birthright.

Weaving joy back into your days

You can reclaim active joy in your modern life. The process requires intention more than time. Begin by integrating music into daily routines. Do not just listen to songs while cooking or cleaning. Sing along. Let your voice be heard, even imperfectly. This simple act shifts you from consumer to creator. It transforms mundane tasks into moments of personal expression.

Rediscover the power of movement. You need no formal training or dance floor. Move your body in your kitchen or living room. Let rhythm guide you for just five minutes. This is not about performance but physical freedom. It shakes stress from muscles and oxygenates blood. It reminds your body of its capacity for pleasure beyond work's demands.

Create spaces for shared stories. Establish device-free meals where real conversation can flow. Ask meaningful questions about each other's experiences. Share personal stories that connect you to something larger than daily logistics. These narratives become the oral history of your modern tribe.

Find or form a circle for communal practice. Join a singing group, dance class, or story-sharing circle. Many urban communities host drum circles and community choirs. These gatherings represent the contemporary equivalent of village celebrations. They provide structure for joy to become a shared discipline rather than a random accident.

Joy is a skill we cultivate through practice. My cousin's graduation dance, my uncle's abandoned movements, my solitary hotel room dancing—all demonstrate this truth. We must move from the audience onto the stage of our own lives. We must become producers rather than consumers of happiness. Start with one song. One dance. One shared story. This is how we reclaim our heritage of active joy. This is how we build lives of authentic connection and resilient wellbeing.