Alex Ohan; Swaziland Reed Dance -

Umhlanga, or Reed Dance ceremony, is an annual Swazi and Zulu tradition held in August or September of each year. Tens of thousands of unmarried and childless Swazi/Zulu girls and women travel from their villages to participate in the eight-day event. In Swaziland they gather at the Queen Mother's royal village, which currently is Ludzidzini Royal Village, while Nongoma is the site of the royal reed dance in Zululand. After arriving at the Queen Mother's royal residence, or Enyokeni Palace in Zululand, the women disperse the following night to surrounding areas and cut tall reeds. The following night they bundle them together and bring them back to the Queen Mother to be used in repairing holes in the reed windscreen surrounding the royal village. After a day of rest and washing the women prepare their traditional costumes consisting of a bead necklace, rattling anklets made from cocoons, a sash, and skirt. Many of them carry the bush knife they used to cut the reeds as a symbol of their virginity.

Today's Reed Dance ceremony developed in the 1940's and 50's from the Umcwasho custom where young girls were placed in age regiments to ensure their virginity. Once they reached the age of marriage they would perform labor for the Queen Mother followed by dancing and a feast. The official purpose of the annual ceremony is to preserve the women's chastity, provide tribute labor for the Queen Mother, and produce solidarity among the women through working together.

The women sing and dance as they parade in front of the royal family as well as a crowd of spectators, tourists and foreign dignitaries. After the parade, groups from select villages take to the center of the field and put on a special performance for the crowd. The King's many daughters also participate in the Umhlanga ceremony and are distinguished by the crown of red feathers in their hair.

One of the main objectives of the Reed Dance is for the king to choose another wife.

Category:

Travel & Events

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• Alex
• Ohan

[vanderalexan]

Correct

[vanderalexan]

Me too, alex

[vanderalexan]

That core of Africa, deep deep inside Africa where you can feel and touch the loyalty and honesty

[vanderalexan]

Thank you for your valuable comments, you are totally right, bless you

[vanderalexan]

right

[vanderalexan]

I share your point of view, thank you for commenting, alex

[MrVivitty]

There is no culture that is superior than another. What some cultures value others don't. If you think that showing breasts is degrading women, you are judging these people on the basis of your values. The question is, do the women of Swaziland feel degraded by their culture?

[bigkeno]

@kayroxx Advanced technology doesn't necessarily make a culture superior. These folks are spiritually superior to most in the West. When you are spiritually tuned, you don't need to worry about tech races and such. Bigoted idiots always want to say "What did Africa ever invent or contribute to the world". The answer is: Culture and Civilization. Without them there would be no you. And they didn't go around conquering and fucking with other people either. Too bad others didn't get that memo.

[ErikaCn100]

The sad thing is.. if these people were white, the comments would be overrun with people crying about pornography and the like. Funny how people have no problem letting their kids see half and fully naked tribal people, but if a white girl flashes her breasts for half a second (Like in the super bowl a few years back) there is outrage over it for months.

[GodOfUnbelief]

I like de beat

[craprslpr]

8) I like Swaziland (.)(.)

[MrVdurrell]

Such untainted beauty...they are blessed because they know exactly who they are and where they come from...Love It

[1yuvan]

Wonderfull video, but I'd like to see them in a real moving form, what, nobody had a real video camera?

[MrWillem1969]

nice kingdom and nice traditions

[GameFreakHenry]

@53Africa yes, you're right. i just mean this Land. there is a danger cause of somebody. mabey really the US or other states.

And I come from Africa too :)

[MrFalconford]

why are the tags and licensing credited to alex ohan, toronto, ontario canada and youtube and not the zululand people?

[Harrahshow]

Yea ours in the west is better, It's so bad to show little breast, but it's alright to commit other heinous crimes like rape, kill enslave and the list go on and on.

[matdonne]

i want to visit this country . nice place to live i guess, but i think i will be tempted!!!