Swati Maidens 2
Added 2021-04-07 18:18:56 +0000 UTCThe Swati (Swati: Emaswati, singular Liswati) are a Bantu ethnic group in Southern Africa, predominantly inhabiting Eswatini, South Africa's Mpumalanga province, and Mozambique. ... About three-quarters of the clan groups are Nguni; the remainder are Sotho, Tsonga, others North East African and San descendants.
In 1750, the Swazi successors in South Africa decided to relocate, heading north towards what is today known as KwaZulu-Natal. From there, they went north-west towards the Ususthu River. They chose to move to this river because it provided them with shelter and protection from the warriors and fearsome king, Shaka Zulu. Today, this area remains the home of a Swati community.
The Swazi people are known for their many traditional events, but they are most commonly known for their Incwala and Umhlanga. At these events, you will likely see the entire Swazi community dressed in their colourful attire and red feathers, carrying shields and wearing multi-coloured beaded necklaces.
Another one of their exciting traditional festivals is the eight-day reed dance (see photo above). This is a ceremony that usually begins in the last days of August and continues until early September. It is for all the single women in the village. These unmarried women perform a dance for the Queen Mother and hand over the reeds that had been cut especially for the occasion.
The purpose of this ceremony is to protect the women’s chastity and to praise the Queen Mother. On the last day of the celebration, the King will have his cattle slaughtered and the women may then help themselves to the meat, taking it home with them to enjoy with friends and family.
