Thousands of maidens are expected to gather at this year’s Umkhosi Womhlanga, better known as the reed dance.
The reed dance was introduced during the time of AmaZulu King Shaka when the young maidens would gather in a festival and celebrate being maidens. It is a tradition of AmaSwati and AmaZulu people that aims to pay respect to women and to prepare girls for womanhood.
The first of the two-part leg of the annual reed dance took place this past Saturday. It was the first time the new King Misuzulu KaZwelithini presided over the event. The ceremony took place at eMachobeni Royal Palace in Ngwavuma, near the Mozambique border.
The second part of the festival is scheduled to be held at the Enyokeni Royal Palace in KwaNongoma in KwaZulu Natal on September 17.
After the maidens have passed their virginity test, the girls are then led by their senior princesses in song and dance. Toward the end of the ceremony, King Misuzulu KaZwelithini will deliver a speech to emphasise the importance of girls remaining pure until they are ready to get into marriage.
The AmaZulu and AmaSwati reed dance is, however, different because in Zulu culture the reed dance is not about the king picking a wife. The late AmaZulu King Zwelithini KaBhekuzulu had restrictions on how the reed dance was covered by international media after pictures of the girls were used on porn sites.
The AmaZulu royal family has said that it expects this month’s Reed Dance Festival to be well-attended after all Covid-19 restrictions were lifted over two months ago.
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