Swaziland, Eswatini: holidays, events
Public holidays
There are a number of public holidays that do not have a fixed date but are based on the time of Easter. Easter falls on the first Sunday following the first full moon after the beginning of spring. Lent, which lasts 46 days, begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. Pentecost is 50 days after Easter. The Corpus Christi festival is celebrated on the 2nd Thursday after Pentecost. All Saints’ Day is celebrated for Orthodox Christians on the 1st Sunday after Pentecost, but for Catholic Christians the date is fixed on November 1st. On October 31, Protestants celebrate Reformation Day. The Halloween festival also takes place on this day.
Date | Holiday |
January 1 | New Year |
March April | Easter |
April 19 | Birthday of King Mswati |
April 25 | National Flag Day |
1st of May | Labor Day |
May | Ascension of Christ |
22nd of July | Birthday of the late King Sobhuza |
August September | Umhlanga Reed Dance, reed dance day |
September 6 | Somhlolo Day (Independence Day) |
December January | Incwala ceremony |
25./26. December | Christmas |
Source: Countryaah – Swaziland Holidays
Cultural events
Incwala ceremony
The Incwala ceremony is the main cultural event in Swaziland. It takes place on the fourth day after the Volmond, which is centered around the longest day of the year, December 21st. The term “Incwala” is often translated as “First Fruit Ceremony”, but tasting the first fruit of the new harvest is only one part of this long pageant. Therefore, “Incwala” should be translated better as “King’s ceremony”, because without a king there is no Incwala and every other person who holds an Incwala commits high treason. Every resident of Swaziland takes part in the Incwala public ceremony, which culminates on the fourth day. Key figures of the pageant are – besides the king – the king mother, the royal wives, the royal ministers (indunas), the chiefs,
Reed Dance
The second most important cultural event in Swaziland after the Incwala is the annual Reed Dance, an eight-day ceremony during which (unmarried) girls cut the reed, present it to the Queen Mother and then dance for her. The reed dance takes place in late August or early September and serves to honor the chastity of the girls, but should also be seen as a service to the Queen Mother and strengthen the common work. The focus of the dancers is a girl chosen by the royal family who acts as Iduna, i.e. the main dancer. She announces the times for the festival on the radio, is the best artist and knowledgeable about royal protocol. Your colleague is one of the king’s daughters.
Swaziland: climate
The climate of Swaziland differs in altitude: In the higher regions of the country (highveld) there is a predominantly temperate climate with pleasant temperatures, relatively frequent rainfall and higher humidity. In the middle regions (Middleveld) the climate is subtropical with moderate rainfall. In the Lowveld the temperatures are tropically hot with little rainfall. The Lubombo Plateau has a subtropical climate with little precipitation.
Climate table
The following table shows the climate data for the city of Mbabane. Of course, these cannot give a precise overview of the climate in the whole country, but are a good guide.
Month | Average number of rainy days | Mean temperature during the day in (°C) | Mean temperature at night in (°C) |
January | 14-15 | 24-25 | 15-16 |
February | 13-14 | 24-25 | 14-15 |
March | 12-13 | 23-24 | 13-14 |
April | 07-08 | 22-23 | 11-12 |
May | 03-04 | 21-22 | 07-08 |
June | 02-03 | 19-20 | 04-05 |
July | 02-03 | 19-20 | 05-06 |
August | 03-04 | 21-22 | 07-08 |
September | 06-07 | 22-23 | 09-10 |
October | 11-12 | 23-24 | 13-14 |
November | 13-14 | 23-24 | 13-14 |
December | 15-16 | 24-25 | 14-15 |
National customs
Subsistence economy
60% of Swaziland’s population live from subsistence farming, which means that people only produce for their own use, not for sale or export. Cotton, corn, sugar cane, rice, tobacco as well as citrus fruits, peanuts and millet are grown in the country. In addition, people raise cattle, sheep and goats and live on what the animals give them. The mining of diamonds, kaolin and hard coal is also of interest. But Swaziland is also known for a fairly strong presence of the (arts) handicrafts, in which around 2,500 people are currently employed – many of them women. The products are unique and reflect the culture of the country in an inimitable way. Household appliances, art decorations and complex works made of glass, stone or wood are manufactured.
Tradition and royalty
Swazi are very loyal to the royal family, even if this is difficult to believe due to the royal extravagance in one of the poorest countries in the world. Be that as it may: criticism of the king and his family should be avoided as much as possible.
Clothing
As a predominantly Christian country, you should pay attention to clothing in Swaziland. This should be civilized, i.e. not too revealing. Married women usually cover their hair.
Social Structure
The most important entity in Swaziland is the house community, which is usually centered around a hut that looks like a beehive and is covered with dry grass. In a polygamous house unit, every woman has her own hut with her own courtyard, which is surrounded by reed fences. In total there are three areas in such communities or families: one for sleeping, one for cooking and one for storage. A guest area is still available in larger settlements. The stable for the cattle, which has both ritual and practical significance, is also central. It is namely a sign of wealth and a symbol of prestige. Opposite the stable is the large hut that is inhabited by the head’s mother.
Incidentally, the head is the most important function within these communities. The man acting as head usually lives polygamously and leads his wives through all social affairs of the house by setting examples and consulting; he is also dedicated to family survival. He also socializes the boys, who are often (but not always) his children or closest relatives, by giving them clues on how to grow up and become men, teaching them what is expected of them.
Swasis are also very attached to their historical tradition. For example, sick people visit a so-called sangoma to find out the cause of the illness. An inyanga, on the other hand, is consulted when it comes to the correct treatment of the disease. It is considered very disrespectful to belittle these people or to denigrate them as necromancers or witchers.
Women in Swaziland
Living as a woman in Swaziland means being excluded from many areas of society. For example, women are not given a loan by banks unless a male guarantor is named. Even more serious than the social discrimination is probably the fact that girls and women in the country suffer disproportionately from sexual violence, HIV/AIDS and poverty.
Incwala ceremony
The Incwala ceremony is the main cultural event in Swaziland. It takes place on the fourth day after the Volmond, which is centered around the longest day of the year, December 21st. The term “Incwala” is often translated as “First Fruit Ceremony”, but tasting the first fruit of the new harvest is only one part of this long pageant. Therefore, “Incwala” should be translated better as “King’s ceremony”, because without a king there is no Incwala and every other person who holds an Incwala commits high treason. Every resident of Swaziland takes part in the Incwala public ceremony, which culminates on the fourth day. Key figures of the pageant are – besides the king – the king mother, the royal wives, the royal ministers (indunas), the chiefs,
Reed Dance
The second most important cultural event in Swaziland after the Incwala is the annual Reed Dance (Umhlanga), an eight-day ceremony during which (unmarried) bare-breasted girls cut the reed, present it to the Queen Mother and then dance for her. The reed dance takes place in late August or early September and serves to honor the chastity of the girls, but should also be seen as a service to the Queen Mother and strengthen the common work. The focus of the dancers is a girl chosen by the royal family who acts as Iduna, i.e. the main dancer. She announces the times for the festival on the radio, is the best artist and knowledgeable about royal protocol. Your colleague is one of the king’s daughters.
Umchwasho
The Umchwasho custom was very widespread in Swaziland and was the inspiration for the reed dance described above. In an umchwasho, all young girls were “gathered” into a regiment to prevent these girls from becoming pregnant before marriage. After the girls had reached marriageable age after several years in such a regiment, they made a contribution to the work of the Queen Mother. This chastity custom then ended with a dance and a festival. The girls could now get married. However, if a girl became pregnant within this Umchwasho, her family had to pay the chief a cow, which was an enormous sum.
The custom of Umchwasho was an integral part of Swaziland until August 19, 2005. She was often questioned critically, because the Umchwasho was a stark contrast to the general demand that girls should be fertile rather than married. Therefore, in Swaziland, it is more important that girls give birth to their first child out of wedlock than evidence of their fertility. These illegitimate children are of course mostly the children of the future child. But if the longed-for pregnancy does not come about after many attempts, the man’s fertility (and therefore masculinity) could be secretly questioned, which is a great shame in Swaziland. The girls are therefore “allowed” to go to a relative of the future or even to one of their own family members in order to prove that they are fertile. This procedure, which is strange to us, remains secret, so that only those who are directly affected know about it. Usually not even the groom knows about it. But that and the girl’s honor are restored. The child conceived out of wedlock (however) passes as property to the girl’s father. After the groom has paid a fixed bride fee, the wedding takes place. Because through the payment, the groom bought the child from the father. After the groom has paid a fixed bride fee, the wedding takes place. Because through the payment, the groom bought the child from the father. After the groom has paid a fixed bride fee, the wedding takes place. Because through the payment, the groom bought the child from the father.
Homosexuality
Homosexual acts – viewed as a crime in Swaziland – are imprisoned for up to two years. Efforts are currently being made to increase the sentence to at least two years.
Swaziland: Sightseeing
- Abbreviationfinder.org: Presents the way that WZ stands for the nation of Swaziland as a two-letter acronym.
Cities
Lobamba
Lobamba, the traditional capital and seat of government of Swaziland, is the seat of parliament. The Queen Mother also has her residence here. About 5,800 people currently live in the city in the west of the country. Lobamba, with the State Palace, the Swazi National Museum, the royal kraal and some other buildings and facilities, is well-known for two ceremonies: The reed dance takes place there in August and September in honor of the Queen Mother. December and January are reserved for the homage to the king (Incwala).
Manzini
By far the largest city in the country is not the capital Mbabane, but Manzini. Around 110,500 people live in the city. Manzini is located in the so-called Middle Veld and is the traffic center of the country, especially since Swaziland’s only international airport is located there or in the suburb of Matsapha.
Mbabane
The capital of Swaziland is Mbabane with around 90,000 residents. Founded in 1902 by the British, the city functions as an economic and administrative center of Swaziland and extends into the Mdimba Mountains. It was named after Mbabane Kunene, a famous chief of the time. Economically speaking, the city lives from the nearby ore and tin mines.
Nhlangano
In Nhlangano, a town about 120 kilometers south of Mbabane, there is not only a casino attached to a hotel to visit, but also a swimming pool and a fabulous golf course. Furthermore, the nearby Mkondo River runs through a landscape of valleys, gorges, rapids and waterfalls.
National Monuments of Swaziland
The National Monuments of Swaziland are memorials and protected areas that have been designated as such by the Swaziland National Trust Commission (SNCT) and are of national interest. Current national monuments include:
Captain Gilson’s House in Mbabane
This is the former home of the first police chief of Swaziland. That CH Gilson attended the South African college together with King Sobhuza II.
King Sobuza II Memorial Park in Lobamba
This park, laid out in honor of King Sobhuza II, commemorates the regent under whom Swaziland obtained its state independence in 1968.
Legco Building in Mbabane
The country’s first parliament is in the capital of Swaziland, but it is in a very poor state.
Mangwaneni Bush in Mbabane
The native trees in Mbabane are also national monuments.
Mantjolo Pool near Mbabane
According to the belief of the Mnisis tribe, the ancestors of the people live under this sacred lake.
Old Secretariat in Mbabane
The rather old administration building in Swaziland’s capital now serves as the official residence of the Deputy Prime Minister.
Site of King Bhunu’s interrogation in Manzini
This site is the tree under which King Bhunu was interrogated by the Boer administration in 1898. At that time it was about the murder of the chief Indvuna Mbhabha Nsibandze. The tree can be found on Nkoseluhlaza Street in Manzini.
More Attractions
Rock paintings of the Bushmen
in the region, through which the river Mkondo through a picturesque landscape of waterfalls, valleys, canyons and rapids draws can you look at some of the interessantesten rock paintings of the Bushmen Swaziland. Other important rock carvings can be found in the mountains north of Mbabane.
Maguga Dam
The 115 m high Maguga Dam was built on the Komati River. It can be found approximately 12 km south of Piggs Peak.
Ngwenya glass factory near Piggs Peak
The famous Ngwenya glass is manufactured in the Ngwenya glass factory just outside the forest town named after the French gold prospector William Pigg. A visit to the area can still be rounded off with a visit to the old mine, where gold was still mined until 1954.
Universities and colleges
University of Swaziland
The University of Swaziland evolved from the University of Botswana, Lesotho and Swaziland (UBLS). It has had its current name since 1982. It is the first and only university in the kingdom. It is currently divided into seven faculties on the three campuses Luyengo and Mbabane as well as the main campus Luyengo.
Waterford Kamhlaba United World College of Southern Africa (UWCSA for short) near Mbabane
This is one of the twelve United World Colleges worldwide. With the help of social engagement and international education, this group of schools is supposed to educate the pupils to more social competence and tolerance. The school in Mbabane was founded in 1963 by the British Michael Stern and designed by the architect Amâncio d’Alpoim Miranda Guedes. Stern thus governed the education system in South Africa, which was strongly influenced by the apartheid system. By the way, the school name Kamhlaba comes from King Sobhuza II, who visited the institution in 1967 and gave it the name, which in German means something like “to be your own world”. Probably the most famous students at UWCSA were the children of Nelson Mandela and Desmond Tutu.
The school is divided into the plaza in the center of the campus, the auditorium, the secretariat, the teachers’ room and the amphitheater. There is also the Center for Creative Learning.
Natural beauties
Ezulwini Valley near Mbabane
One of the main reasons to visit Swaziland is definitely the wonderful landscape of the Ezulwini Valley. The picturesque valley also includes a hot mineral spring, the renowned Royal Swazi golf course, a casino, hotels and a fitness studio. At the northern end of the valley is the capital of Swaziland, Mbabne (see above).
Hlane Royal National Park
This national park is considered to be one of the best parks in southern Africa when it comes to seeing large herds of elephants and rhinos roaming around in their natural wilderness. You will also meet lions, leopards, monkeys, antelopes, giraffes and zebras. The wonderful African flora in the national park is also extremely beautiful and worth seeing. The park, which is also ideal for a visit with children, extends around 67 northeast of Manzini, with its entrance an estimated four kilometers south of Simunye, i.e. between Manzini and Lomahasha. You can experience the park itself with minibuses (about E100) or with your own car, but a guide has to accompany you. A guided bush tour is the best way to see the rhinos and elephants.
Malolotja Nature Reserve
This reserve, one of the most impressive nature park experiences in southern Africa, is home to the last untouched wilderness in Swaziland. It consists of wetlands, forests, and expansive grassy areas that are dotted with granite boulders.
The approximately 18,000 ha = 180 km² reserve is located in the north-west of the country and represents the largest protected area in the kingdom. The contrasts that show up in it are fantastic: Swaziland’s second highest mountain, 1,829 meter high Ngwenya, rises in the Malolotja Nature Reserve Mountain, in the immediate vicinity of the 640 meter deep Nkomati River Valley.
Mantenga Falls
About thirty minutes by car east of the Ezulwini Valley (see above) are the Mantenga Falls, Swaziland’s most famous waterfalls. The Mantenga Arts and Crafts Center and the Mlilwane Game Reserve are right by the falls.
Mkhaya Game Reserve Established in
1979, the natural paradise was initially established as a nursing station for Nguni, but has now also taken care of other endangered species such as black and white rhinos, antelopes, tsessebe and elephants.
Mlawula Nature Reserve
The 16,500 hectare Mlawula Nature Reserve extends to the north-east of Swaziland, and the Lubombo Mountains are certainly the most impressive parts of it. The reserve is traversed by the Mlawula and the Mbuluzi River, the latter meandering along the northern borders and, among other things, running through a beautiful river valley.
Mlilwane game reserve
The oldest and around 43 km² game reserve was created with a lot of love and great effort. Animals that live outside the country or were once found in Swaziland have been reintroduced here.
The park is in good condition and snares and traps from the time of poaching can be seen in the main camp of the reserve.