Swazi People of South Africa, Eswantini, Lesotho and Mozambique.
Saturday, October 9, 2021
Swazi People aslo known as Swati People can be found in South Africa, Eswantini, some parts of Lesotho and Mozambique, they are part of the Bantu speaking people of the Nguni group.
According to their Oral history Swazi nation was named after King Mswati ll who ruled in 1839, the royal lineage can be traced to a Chief known as Dlamini.
It is believed they Intermarried with the Sotho and Tsonga, Swati extended so they pledge allegiance to a twin monarchs known as Ngwenyama.
He is considered to be a brave lion and King and Ndlovkati is the Queen, Swazi had a Kingdom in what is now Present day South Africa and It is believed they originated from a clan in the 15th Century.
Swazi were renowed for exploring Ivory, during the period of colonialism It is believed they got into frequent wars and refused any help from the British.
Swazi are known for their rich culture and traditions, In their tradition Swazi prefer wearing their traditional clothing, they traced to their patrilineal side and they inherit from their patriarchal, It is believed Queen can dominate the King and can also select the next King and next Queen.
It is believed in their tradition that Marriage is a union between families of the groom and bride, they have different types of marriage, the traditional marriage is requested by the mother and father of both couples also dowry is paid for the bride.
Marriage plays a big role for women when her husband maybe passed away the women can marry , If She choose or someone can marry her, traditionally the children of the widow becomes the new husband’s children and he becomes the father of the children, In their household consists of the headman, his wife, unmarried Siblings , daughters and sons.
The Swazi migrated from North eastern Africa settled in Present day South eastern part of Africa and later moved to Present day Mozambique and Present day Swaziland, It is claimed some Swazi originated from Sotho clans and they were also Inhabitants of Swaziland.
Swazi was part of the Nguni expansion Southwards, they crossed the Limpopo river and settled in Southern part of Mozambique near Maputo in the late 15th Century, In 1815 Sobhuza became the King of Swaziland and under Sobhuza’s rule wars and unfecane occured due to the expansion of the Zulu State, under Sobhuza the Nguni and Sotho People as well as remnant San groups were Integrated into Swazi nation,
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It was during his rule that Shishelweni region of Swaziland. It is believed when a boy transitioning to a man, he dyes his hair, King Mswati ll has 24 wives and 14 Children and his father had 70 wives before he died, It is believed life expancy is 32 years old.
The Primary national Symbol is the monarchy, King Sobhuza ll died in 1982, oversaw the transition from Colony to protectorate to Independent country, the relationship between the King and his people is evident at the Incwala, during the most sacred which may not be held where is no King, In the late 1830s Intital contact occured among the Swazi, Boers and the British a substantial portion of Swazi territory was ceded to the Transvaal Boers the Transvaal in 1881 was recognized during Independence of Swaziland, Swazi claimed that their territory extended to all directions.
Among Swazi their traditional flood is supplied during flutuated seasonally, When is winter and the new crops crops of summer, maize, millet, Dairy products, especially soured milk, cattle were slaughtered and meat was in short supply the leafy vegetables, and fruits for which is a traditional diet. It is said the history Of Swazi dates back to the late 16th Century, when the first Swazi King Ngawane ll settled in the Southeastern part of Swaziland.
It is said his grandson Sobhuza established a permanent capital and drew within a centralized political system the resident Nguni and Sotho. During the mid 19th Century Sobhuza’s heir, Mswati ll expanded Swazi nation to an area much larger than Swaziland, Mswati established contact with the British, by the late 19th Century, Mswati’s Sucessor known as Mbandzeni.
In Swazi tradition pottery and carving were minor arts, dancing, singing, singing which include Praise Song plays a big role among them, Swazi marriage ceremony is known as Umtsimba.
Umtsiba is usually on a weekend in dry Season June to August when the Bride and her relatives go to the groom’s homestead, on Friday evening, On Saturday morning the bridal party, goats and cows are offered by the groom’s family homestead, On Sunday morning the bride with her female relatives, Stabs ground with a Spear in a man’s kraal later It is believed She is smeared with red Ochre and the smearing is the highest point of Marriage.
Umhlanga is a cultural reed dance ceremony, events held in August or September for unmarried girls pay homeage to Ndlovukati girls and Incwala is held between December and January depending on the phases of the moon.