A towering figure made of raffia spinning endlessly under the night sky is not something most people expect to see in Singapore.
But over the first weekend of May, crowds gathered at the Esplanade Forecourt Garden to witness exactly that — the Kumpo, a sacred masquerade spirit from the Jola communities of The Gambia, Senegal, and Guinea-Bissau.
Videos posted by TikTok creator @poppypyjamas quickly spread online, showing the straw-covered figure twirling at dizzying speeds while drums thundered through the space.
“Is there someone actually in there?” the caption asked.
The comments came almost immediately.
“There’s someone inside,” one viewer replied.
Another wrote:
“We have internet and social media..seen this years ago..and yes there is a person inside.”
But for many Singaporeans encountering the Kumpo for the first time, the performance still felt almost otherworldly.
A Sacred Spirit, Not Just a Performance
Presented by the Berending Kumpo Association from The Gambia, the performances took place from 1 to 3 May 2026 as part of Esplanade’s public arts programming. The Kumpo is not simply a costume or dance character. Jola traditions regard it a sacred spirit protector, tied to ancestral beliefs, spiritual harmony and community rituals.
The performer becomes a spiritual vessel after he puts on his complete raffia costume. The traditional belief states that people must not touch the Kumpo because it is a forbidden object.
The audience observes the performer from afar because he spins at high speed while moving through the audience and he walks as though he possesses supernatural energy. The Kumpo performs its dance during ceremonies because it moves next to fire yet remains unburned, which creates additional enigmatic elements that surround the masquerade tradition.
Rhythm, Movement, and Collective Energy
At the Esplanade performances, drumming, singing, metal bells, and chanting filled the air as the Kumpo whirled continuously across the open space. The energy was impossible to ignore. Phones rose into the air. Crowds formed circles around the spinning figure while performers guided the procession through the audience.
Unlike stage productions separated by barriers, the Kumpo performance felt deeply communal. The masquerade moved among people rather than in front of them.
And while many online viewers focused on the question of “who was inside,” the tradition itself carries a much deeper meaning. For Jola communities, masquerade ceremonies are tied to celebration, protection, initiation rites, and social unity. The Kumpo is believed to strengthen harmony within the village while delivering blessings and guidance to the community.
A Tradition Rooted in Ancestral Beliefs
They believe in a supreme being known as Ata Emit who governs both the sky and seasonal changes and natural world order. The performance of song and dance holds crucial importance for numerous ceremonial events.
The Kumpo itself is traditionally assembled using African raffia palm leaves tied together with bark rope while a wooden pole attached to the head allows the spirit figure to perform its iconic spinning movements.
The performers enter a hypnotic state because the drums increase in volume which causes their rotating movements to accelerate. To some viewers, it resembles acrobatics. To others, it feels spiritual.
Either way, the performance left a strong impression on many who encountered it for the first time in Singapore.
More Than a Viral Spectacle
Online, much of the attention focused on the Kumpo’s appearance. Its towering shape, spinning movements, and mysterious construction naturally triggered curiosity across TikTok.
But beyond the viral clips, the performances also introduced audiences to cultural traditions rarely seen in Singapore’s mainstream arts scene. For some, it became an unexpected lesson in African indigenous traditions. For others, it was simply mesmerizing to watch.
And as the raffia-covered figure continued spinning beneath the city lights, the line between performance, ritual, and spectacle briefly blurred together.
A Rare Cultural Encounter in Singapore
The performances have concluded, but online videos of the Kumpo continue to spread as people watch and react to its uncommon appearance. The initial interest in the rotating straw figure developed into a major discovery which showed an active cultural custom that exists between different countries throughout the world and operates in Singapore’s central area.
The Esplanade hosted three nights of shows where performers displayed their performances through rhythmic movements which included sacred elements and mysterious aspects. The performance achieves a mesmerizing quality because the drum beats grow stronger and the dancers increase their rotation speed.
Watch videos here:
@poppypyjamas African Spinning Kumpo in Singapore Is there someone actually in there? #sgtiktok
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