DonateOnce again the eight day ceremony Umhlang (the Reed dance) for 2026 has began. Girls are expected to cut reeds and present them to the Queen Mother and then dance. Only childless, unmarried girls can take part.
The aims of the ceremony are to:
- preserve girls’ chastity
- provide tribute labour for the Queen mother
- produce solidarity by working together.
The royal family appoints a commoner maiden to be “Indvuna” (captain) of the girls and she announced the starting dates over the national radio stations. One of the King’s daughters was selected to be her counterpart.
Day 1- 25 August 2026: The girls gathered at the Queen Mothers palace (royal capital), at Ludzidzini, Lobamba. They came in groups from the about 350 chiefdoms and were registered for security and logistics. They are supervised by men, usually four, appointed by each chief. They slept in the huts of relatives in the royal villages, big marquees and tents.
Day 2 – 26 August 2026: The girls are separated into two groups, the older (about 14 to 22 years) and the younger (about 8 to 13). In the afternoon, they march, in their local groups, to the reed-beds, with their supervisors. The older girls often go to Mphisi Farm (about 40 kilometres) while the younger girls usually go to Bhamsakhe near Malkerns (about 10 kilometres). The girls reach the vicinity of the reeds in darkness, and sleep in tents. Formerly the local people would have accommodated them in their homesteads.
Day 3 – 27 August 2026:: The girls cut the reeds, usually about ten to twenty, using long knives. Each girl ties her reeds into one bundle, using ropes plaited from cut grass.
Day 4 – 28 August 2026:: In the afternoon the girls set off to return to the royal capital, carrying their bundles of reeds. Again they return at night. This is done “to show they travelled a long way”.
Day 5 – 29 August 2026:: A day of rest where the girls make final preparations to their hair and dancing costumes.
Day 6 – 30 August 2026:: First day of dancing in the afternoon (from about 3pm to 5pm). The girls deliver their reeds outside the Queen Mothers residence. They move to the arena and dance keeping in their groups and each group singing different songs at the same time.
Day 7 – 31 August 2026:: Second and last day of dancing. Their Majesties will be in attendance.
Day 8 – 01 September 2026:: The maidens prepare for departure after collecting some take-home packages.
The Reed Dance developed out of the old “Umcwasho” custom. In “Umcwasho”, all young girls were placed in a female age-regiment. If any girl fell pregnant outside of marriage, her family paid a fine of one cow to the local chief. After a number of years, when the girls had reached a marriageable age, they would perform labour service for the Queen Mother, ending with dancing and feasting.
Remarkable culture and how it is passed down and preserved. I love this.