Photos from Our World

Traditional celebrations in Swaziland

The Swazi people cherish their traditions and it is quite common to come across celebrations where large groups of people in full traditional costume participate. A traditional Swazi wedding, like the one for Prince Mfanasibili, one of the sons of King Sobhuza II, was held at Luve, to the north west of Manzini. There was dancing by large groups of married women, recognisable with their "sicolo" beehive hairstyle, all in "sidvwaba" skin skirts, who were joined by the new bride. Young unmarried girls danced, bare breasted, in their short "indlamu" bead skirts, carrying small shields and the young men, carrying large cowhide shields and "sakila" or knobkerrie fighting sticks would march, singing the typical warriors songs, surging forward, joining the girls; individual men would lope towards a particular girls who was dancing especially well, slam their shield on the ground in front of them, as an appreciation.

Not all weddings are as traditional as the one for royalty; in Mangwaneni village, just outside Mbabane, was a wedding where the bride and groom were dressed in European wedding gown and suit but which still featured lots of traditional dancing and singing, especially by women and girls, a curious mixture of two cultures.

Mangwaneni is actually a small Royal village where one of the King's sons lives; and when work needs to be done everyone comes to help. On this occasion a "sibaya" or cattle byre had to be built and a large group of men, in their traditional Swazi "emabutfo" regiments came to bring the materials for this. There was lots of singing and dancing the old warriors songs, like the "iNqaba kaNqofula", a praise song for the King. The regiments would march, preceded by a man blowing a horn, and even groups of young boys, carrying fighting sticks were marching and singing in the old way.

	Traditional wedding	Dance at wedding	Dance with bride	Young warriors
	Young people's dance	Woman's dance	Woman singing	Warrior's dance
	"Indlaliso" song	Swazi regiments	Boys marching	Marching regiments

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