Incwala is the main ritual of kingship in the Kingdom of Eswatini. This is a national event that takes place during the summer solstice. The main participant in incwala is the King of Eswatini; when t
Swazi warriors dancing incwala
Warriors in full incwala dress
Umhlanga, or Reed Dance ceremony, is an annual Swazi event that takes place at the end of August or at the beginning of September. In Eswatini, tens of thousands of unmarried and childless Swazi girls
Incwala
…lusekwane, kuhlamahlama, and umdvutjulwa - mark the key events of this age old tradition. Unlike Ummemo which is convened by local chiefs, Incwala and Umhlanga are national events and are convened under the authority of the King and the Queen Mother. The incwala ritual is controlled by national priests known…
A woman at the Reed Dance ceremony
An Umkhosi woMhlanga ceremony in Nongoma, South Africa.
Princess Sikhanyiso Dlamini (centre), dancing at Umhlanga, 2006. She wears a red feather crown, distinguishing her as a royal.
The 2006 Reed Dance in Lobamba.