The Kingdom of Swaziland

The old saying "a picture is worth a thousand words" does not begin to apply to the experience we had this past 3 days in Swaziland.  I wish I could tell you the feelings we experienced instead of just the words or the pictures, for they cannot begin to portray the magical time we had there.

When we left early Monday morning we had no idea it was going to be the kind of trip that you have to keep pinching yourself to see if it is really happening or if it is just a dream. Because it happened in the Kingdom of Swaziland - I feel like I should begin with "Once Upon A Time..."

We were with 3 other couples - we left Monday and returned Wednesday.  Elder Mamba, a missionary here in Johannesburg is from Swazi and he wanted us to visit his "auntie" who had raised him.  In Swaziland parents keep the first and last son, and give the others away.  Unfortunately he was the 2nd son and was given away.  His older brother agreed to show us around on Tuesday.  We started the day preparing to go visit "auntie" by purchasing a few items he thought she would enjoy.  This consisted of brown sugar, bread and chicken.  We bought the bread and sugar and some "sweets" for the children at a local market.  The chicken was a different story - we bought LIVE chickens.  They put them in a box tied up with string and we were off to the countryside to visit his family.

As we drove out to his family homestead we passed a cow who had been hit by a car.  It is the custom here that whoever finds the cow butchers it right there on the spot and hangs the meat on the fence posts for any and everyone that stops.  It was fascinating to learn that only men can eat the chest and rump meat, women may only eat the ribs and children are only allowed the hooves.  Women may not under any circumstances eat the head or liver - this is reserved only for men.  The brain may only be eaten by old people because it is believed to "slow down the thinking."  As we were driving - a car was ahead of us going very slow, Ndumiso said very sincerely, "She must have eaten cow brain!"  We all had a good laugh and that has become a favorite saying of ours now.  Also the cow head must be taken to the owner to show that it was his cow that had been slaughtered.

About 45 minutes after we had left we pulled up to "auntie's" home.  This is the home Elder Mamba grew up in and will return to after his mission.  His aunt was absolutely delightful, couldn't speak any English but danced around singing, "Hallelujah."  Auntie is a real "sangoma" or African traditonal healer and dressed up in her "consulting" outfit and showed us how she threw the shells and chicken bones to call the spirits to tell someone's fortune.  

As we drove away we were sad to leave our new found friends.  They were so happy and welcoming, new friends that will not be forgotten.

We had such a wonderful day learning about their culture and seeing with our own eyes people living in such a different world from us.  Thinking our day was almost over - and that nothing could top that experience, we drove back to town reminiscing about the incrediable day we had had. Little did we know what was to come next. Ndumisol invited us to go with him to attend the Ingwala Ceremony. This is a special 2 week ceremony that ends on the first full moon in December.  It is a spiritual ceremony that "brings the country together to gain blessings from the ancestors, sanctify the kingship and begin the harvest season with high hopes."  It also encourages the purity of its participants  - in this dance the young men. It is said that if a young males has been with a female or had relations with a married woman, the sacred shrub will burn in his hands.  We were there on day 9 - which was a 2 hour "dance" performed at the royal palace!

can imagine our disappointment when we turned away at the gate because women were not allowed to wear pants - it was disrespectful to the king.  Just as we 4 women were about to wait on the grass outside the palace while the men went in to take pictures - Janifer Callahan remembered that while at the local market that morning she had purchased 4 dresses for her daughters to wear to an "African Party" when she got home.  Laughing hysterically we quickly dressed for the ball - feeling more like the "ugly stepsisters" than Cinderella.

The men and women were separated and danced opposite each other.  You can imagine our surprise when we caught the eye of one of the princesses, who escorted us front and center and taught us the song and dances preformed for the Queen Mother and the King's 14 wives.  We each carried a long reed which we had to keep moving the whole 2 hours - if we were standing still the stick had to be kept moving.  We were the only "white" women in the crowd - but we felt so welcomed.  Even the Senior Crown Prince told us we had done much to help American-Swazi relations in peace!  They were so impressed that we had "dressed up" to honor their king in Swazi-women clothing.  Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately for you pictures were not allowed of the palace or the dancing.  

The video below is the men exiting after the dancing was over.  Like I said earlier Africa continues to inspire us - surprises around every single corner!