Swaziland cultural traditions

All young medians from every part of the country gather to take part at the reed dance; Most of the participants are teenagers. Umhlanga usually takes place in the late August or early September. The maidens pay respect to the Queen Mother. At the ceremony the girls wear short beaded skirts with anklets bracelets and jewellery with colorful sashes. Apart from all the young maidens, the royal princesses wear red furthers in their hair and the maidens follow the royal princesses to go before their majesty as the royal princesses are the leaders.
Usually the king chooses his wife at the reed dance ceremony among the participants.

The Ncwala ceremony

Incwala or Kingship Ceremony is the most honorable events in the kingdom of Swaziland. It is the most sanctified of all the rituals in Swaziland. It takes place during December/January. Most people, tourists gather in Swaziland to take part at the ceremony. The King and thousands of young men and warriors take part in various rituals, dances and songs. The dates for this ceremony are announced each year by the King, usually a few weeks before the event and are also determined by the phases of the moon.

The ritual begins with a journey by the "bemanti" (people of the water), they go to the Indian Ocean to collect water and on their return to the royal kraal, and the little incwala begins, preceding the full moon. Young men collect the sacred branches of the "lusekwane" shrub, a species of acacia.

On their third day, the young men ritually slaughter a bull. On the fourth day is the termination of the Ncwala when the king in full ceremonial dress joins his warriors in the traditional dance. The king then eats the first fruit of the season after further rituals at his special hut. People may then eat this fruit after the king's appearance with the blessing of the ancestors. At the incwala it is said no one has to watch but everybody has to take part.