Musical Instruments As Metaphor In Adeola’s Ni Ile Wa (In Our Land)

Dance serves as a potent metaphor for Taiye Adeola’s Ni Ile Wa, embodying cultural identity, resistance, and transformation. This study explores the symbolic and narrative functions of dance within the text, and examines how movement and rhythm reflect societal tensions, personal struggles, and communal aspirations. Drawing on theories of performance, embodiment, and postcolonial aesthetics, this paper argues that dance in Ni Ile Wa is not merely an artistic expression, but a language through which characters negotiate power, memory, and belonging. Ultimately, work positions dance as a dynamic force that bridges the past and present, reinforcing cultural heritage while enabling new forms of self-expression.