Photos from Our World

SWAZILAND

Movies from Swaziland

These scenes were recorded with an old 8 mm camera (without sound) in August and September 1973; sound, including my commentary, was added later from tape recordings I had made in previous years and later filmed from a screen with an analogue video camera. The image and sound quality is therefore poor for which I apologise.

There are some scenes from the country and Swaziland and from festivities that take place in August and September: the uMhlanga or Reed Dance, the Independence Celebrations (Swaziland was celebrating five years of independence) in Lobamba, traditional Sibhaca dancing and an uMgqashiyo performance at the Show Ground in Manzini.

An iNtfwasa or iNkane initiation ceremonies for "tangoma" (witchdoctors) were held at LaMabuza's homestead in Bethany, central Swaziland. These are sights and sounds of the two-day ceremony.

If you like to see a video of this, just click on the small picture

Welcome to Swaziland	uMhlanga Ceremony	Independence Celebrations
Sibhaca Dancing	uMgqashiyo, African Jive	iNtfwasa Ceremony Part 1
iNtfwasa Ceremony Part 2	iNtfwasa Ceremony Part 3	iNtfwasa Ceremony Part 4