Traditional Annual Reed Dance Festival Swaziland

Trip Start Jun 24, 2007

Trip End Jan 15, 2008

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Flag of Swaziland Reed Dance, Swaziland
Wednesday, September 12, 2007

Swaziland is a small country bordering S.Africa and Mozambique and is ruled by a King. It is traditional for a man to have more than one wife and the King of Swaziland takes a new wife each year. He has ruled for 13 years and is now seeking his 14th wife!
Each year, a reed dance festival is held, where all the young maidens from all the various tribal areas in Swaziland congregate and present themselves to the 'world' and the King! They dress up in bright traditional garments and sing and dance for all to see. Young and old join in and the men are present in droves. Heaps of photos to browse through, but notice the Swazi king in the last photo with many surrounding dignitaries.

Slideshow

Post your own travel photos for friends and family Pictures

Girls on their way Comments!	Men look on approvingly	Note animal skins	and incredible bodies
Massive crowds	Excitement	All join in Comments!	Dusty dancing Comments!
Men in support	Law and order	Proud women Comments!	One of the tribes Comments!
Traditionally beautiful Comments!	Fat girls always have more fun! Comments!	King (in traditional skins) takes up his position	King (seated) and other dignitaries Comments!

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Comments

favourite shongwe on

I LOVE THE FACT THAT VIRGINS ARE CELEBRATED,I WAS ONE OF THOSE WHO TOOK PART LAST YEAR 2009 AND IT WAS MY FIRST TIME IN SWAZILAND,ALL MY EXPECTATIONS WERE EXCEEDED........UMH KEEP IT UP ITS OUR CULTURE AND WE'LL KEEP ON CELEBRATING IT.LOOKING FORWARD TO THIS YEAR

focus on

This act is barbaric and risky.
-it can lead to spread of STIs, especially HIV
-it deprive the ladies from getting good husband
- it can make the country to look un-serious and like Sodom and Gomorrah

dan on

i wanna know the date in which this festival is celebrated

fosters4 on

I think it's held in August/September

Hrh Princess Diko on

Gomorrah-i think ur opinion is biased...if u dnt knw sumthing-u ask?nt jump to conclusions of ur own...i wud col u a stereotype bt i don't knw...

PODOLSKI on

This is just the bomb!...i would spend a fortune, just to attend the festival.

t.d on

wow! After researching about the umhlanga festival i must say im impresed it looks and sounds intresting and id love to witness it myself one day.I also like the fact that the people are still keeping to the way things were done in the past and not trying to change it.

dionne on

this is a very good festival. the virgins like it and we all do. if you think its barbaric, you are mistaken. like they have just told you, if you dont know something just ask. we as swazis, we will tell you. these is no risk at all. these children are keep safely and they are 100% under guard 24/7. and besides they are from desent homes, so do you think parents would let their children attend this if it was not safe. life itself is a risk. do not tell us about risk.

Yimba Liston on

We may have defferent views but I would like to know; is it a voluntary exercice or are young girls forced to participate?