Culture

The African nation of Swaziland, located in between South Africa and Mozambique, is an ancient land dominated by the Swazi people and ethnic Swazi music. They are known for a variety of folk music, as well as modern rock, pop and hip hop.

The two biggest ceremonies in Swaziland are Umhlanga (Reed Dance), which takes place in August and Incwala (First Fruit Ceremony), which takes place in December or January.

Umhlanga

The Umhlanga (Reed Dance) is a traditional eight day ceremony, where 20-30,000 of Swaziland's maidens congregate and dance for the Queen Mother and the public. The night after their arrival at the camps, after supper, the girls set off by foot to the destination where they are to pick the reeds. This is usually a long distance from the camps and the trip may take the whole night. Each girl may pick about ten reeds.

On the next day, after breakfast, the girls put on their traditional attire, which consists of:

• a beaded necklace with colours of the Swazi flag called 'ligcebesha'
• colourful beads with woolly tassels, which are hung from the left shoulder to the right hip (umgaco)
• a low cut and short beaded skirt called 'indlamu'
• brown anklets with oval shaped attachments (emafahlawane)
• tassels on the head (umcwasho) that come in different colours: blue for children, yellow for teenagers and red for the more mature maidens.

After dressing up, they take their reeds to the royal village which is quite a distance from the camps.

The whole celebration takes up to eight days, of which on the last day there is the actual dance. As the girls dance, the spectators may join the dance or throw money at their feet in appreciation. The king is allowed to pick one of the maidens to be his bride. On September 6, 2004, he chose a sixteen-year-old reed dance participant and finalist from Miss Teenage Swaziland as a Liphovela (fiancée), to join his eleven wives and one other fiancée.

Incwala

The Incwala (or first fruit ceremony) is the most sacred of all the Swazi ceremonies in which the King plays a dominant part. When there is no King, the Incwala remains in abeyance. The Incwala is usually held in December or January upon a date chosen carefully by Swazi astrologers in conjunction with the position of the sun relating to the phases of the moon.

The ritual begins with the journey of the Bemanti (the people of the water) to the ocean off Mozambique where they collect the foam from the waves. On their return to the Royal Cattle Kraal, a season of ceremonies and songs commences, which continues until the moon is full (Little Incwala).

After the Little Incwala ceremony, young boys journey in groups to collect the sacred branches of the Lusekwane shrub (a species of acacia). Tradition says that the leaves of the shrub will wilt in the hands of any youth who has been intimate with a married woman or has impregnated a young maiden. The lusekwane is taken to the Royal byre to build a small enclosure where the secret parts of the Incwala will be performed. The full strength of the Swazi army is mustered for the ceremony, and all the principal officials of the Nation are present. They dress in special Incwala costumes of skins, and sing songs that become taboo for the rest of the year.

On the third day, a pitch-black ox is ritually slaughtered by the groups of youths. This is intended to instil and promote solidarity among the young men and a spirit of valour, which is though to be essential in fostering national unity, loyalty and discipline. The boys who are too young to take part in the lusekwane gathering stack the imbondvo tree branches around the enclosure.

On the fourth day of the Incwala, the King, who has meanwhile been in seclusion, joins the warriors in a great dance in full ceremonial dress, with the woman of the royal family and court joining in. The King then enters a special hut within the sacred enclosure and after further rituals, he eats the fruits of the new season. Traditionally it is forbidden for the Swazi to eat the young fruits and vegetables of the season until the King has first tasted them. The final burning of the King's bedding and household items follows, thus cleansing everything in readiness for the new year.

Although visitors may watch the ceremony, they must leave during the taboo sections and they must always obey instructions from officials. No attempt must be made to record or photograph the taboo parts of the ritual.