Girl dies while fleeing from 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.

-BBC News