You can see Dance in Other Land in the world: South African

More than 500 bare- breasted virgins and their supporters hold a march in Pietermaritzburg on 14 July 2005 on their way to the Kwazulu-Natal Legislature to protest against the passing of the Children’s Rights Bill approved by the South African National Assembly.The Bill outlaws virginity testing which is practiced in some African traditional communities.The traditionalists called for the practice to continue as it an integral practice of Zulu custom and tradition.Once the Bill is approved, it will effectively make anyone practising the tradition, or parents who give their consent to it will be gulity of an offence. PHOTO:www.rajeshjantilal.com

Riverlea, Johannesburg, South Africa, August 20, 2011. Virginity testing is an ancient Zulu and Southern African Nguni custom that was revived in the time of Aids to try and find a way protect young girls from the disease, as many fall victim to rape and abuse. It is also a way to celebrate celibacy in a nation with massive HIV rates. Despiote this, there are many critics who say that it either humiliates the girls or marks them as targets for rape as there is a persistant belief that sleeping with a virgin cleanses one of Aids. This ceremony in dumpland near Soweto was named as Umhlonyana or Sweet 16 ceremony to acknowledge Lerata Ndlela’s adolescence (she turned 15). Two of the girls were found not to be virgins, and Gogo Thembi Sibisi, a scion of Zulu culture, counselled them and sent other group adults to meet with their parents. One of the girls had been raped by an adult neighbour and the other had sex with a boy of the same age – both pre-teenagers.. Photo Greg Marinovich / Storytaxi.

This August & September will see a hive of colourful activity in the tiny Kingdom of Swaziland as ‘Umhlanga’, or Annual Reed Dance Festival, begins.

The festival this year will start on August 27^th, with the main day of the event (day 7) to happen on September 2^nd. This is when the main ceremony occurs, with the dancing attended by the King. This will be a public holiday in Swaziland.

This ceremony is a centuries old tradition where the Kingdom’s unmarried and childless females present their newly cut reed to the Queen Mother to protect her residence. The King sometimes makes use of the occasion to publicly court a prospective fiancée or Liphovela.

When the main day arrives, young women from all over Swaziland and beyond her borders converge on the royal residence in Ludzidzini for this momentous occasion.

Maidens gather in groups and head out along riverbanks to cut and collect tall reeds, bind them and return to Ludzidzini, the Royal Homestead in Lobamba.

Tens of thousands of maidens, led by Swazi princesses, provide a sea of colour as they dance and sing, proudly carrying their cut reeds. Traditionally, virginity is a pre-requisite for participation as it is considered taboo for an ‘impure’ woman to cut the reed.

Residents of this tiny mountainous Kingdom are intensely proud of their deep culture and taking part in the Festival is a proud and privileged moment for all the family.

The highlight of the event is the reed-giving ceremony - one of Africa’s largest and most colourful cultural spectacles. The maidens gather at Ludzidzini dressed in traditional attire; bright short beaded skirts with colourful sashes revealing their bare breasts to dance and sing and celebrate the unification of the Kingdom’s women. His Majesty King Mswati lll joins the celebrations to pay tribute to the maidens.

At the end of the day, the maidens present their cut reeds to the Queen Mother, Ndlovukazi, and the protective Guma (reed fence) around her homestead will be rebuilt.

The Umhlanga Festival is a visual spectacle that bonds this small but perfectly formed nation. Its ever- increasing popularity defies the apparent decline of traditional cultures elsewhere in Africa. Witnessing this festival is a truly unique experience. Visitors are welcome, but are vastly outnumbered by the participants! This is a traditional event that allows spectators, not one that exists for spectators.

See it for yourself and experience Swaziland’s unique blend of ancient culture, pristine wilderness, year round wildlife and spirit of adventure!

For more information about the event, plus information on tours/packages in Swaziland that include the Reed Dance

Reed dance is one of the most adored and respected dances in South Africa. The Zulus consider it important even to the extent that it is even attended by their leaders. In Zululand, the dance takes place each year in September at the royal palace. Girls from all parts of Zululand and several other parts come to participate in the dance. The girls are supposed to wear traditional attires which include beads, bracelets, necklaces and colored sashes. During the celebrations, the women dance for their king with exposed breasts and bottoms. As the name suggests, during the dance, each girl carries a long reed which is deposited on the floor at the approach of the king. The girls are required to choose the longest and the strongest reeds. The dance is led by a chief’s daughter or the Zulu princess. See Also: 20 South African Songs You Should Listen To Here are 10 Facts about the Reed Dance You’ve Never Heard of 1. The Dance was Introduced in 1991 as a Way of Encouraging the Girls to Delay Sexual Activity Zulus discourage sex before marriage and this dance was created as a way of promoting that. One of the ceremony’s events is the test for virginity. If the reed breaks before the girl reaches a specified point, it is considered that the girl is no longer a virgin. 2. It Takes Eight Days Reed dance takes the whole week and an extra day before it is concluded. During each day, various practices are conducted. The king should attend Two out of the eight days. 3. It Fosters Self Esteem Individuals who participate in the dance are sure of what they have. Virgins are sure to pass the test since they have the courage that they have not engaged in any activity that is considered evil by the society. 4. It Boosts Cohesion The fact that thousands of girls from the neighboring territories are encouraged to participate in the dance means that the communities are destined to always coexist. South Africa’s president is said to constantly attend such dances in South Africa and this shows that it brings cohesion. In Swaziland, King Mswati normally picks his wife’s from the participants regardless of their tribes. reed dance 3 sowetanlive.co.za See Also: Xhosa people, Tradition and Dance More Astonishing Facts about the Reed Dance 5. It is a Form of Anti-aids Campaign All participants in the dance are required not to engage in sex before marriage. It is interesting that this requirement has been adhered to by the girls as evident by the number of girls who participate in the dance. 6. It Entails no Competition This eight-day ceremony is not a form of competition. It is meant to bring cohesion and a way of rebuilding the culture from apartheid. It also promotes a sense of cultural identity which is essential for nation building. 7. Unauthorized Photography is Prohibited Taking photos during the dance is discouraged. The dance is considered a traditional practice and it should not be confused with pornography. Since the photos should not be published on media platforms and phonographic sites, the Zulus discourage unauthorized photography. 8. The Ceremony is not Centuries Old Despite the fact that it has taken root, it should be remembered that in Swaziland, the dance commenced during the reign of king Mswati. Reed Dance 2 9. The Activities that Take Place During the Dance Does not Signify that All is Well in Swaziland Normally, dances are meant to signify the good things in the society. Dances are common during celebrations and graduations but this is not the case in Swaziland. In this regard, we should not be fooled into believing and thinking that all is well in the kingdom of Eswatini. It is even surprising to note that about 80% of the girls who participate in the dance come from families who rely on food aids while their king ranks among the richest individuals in Africa if not in the whole world. 10. The Dance is Full of Controversies There are a couple of controversies that surround the practice. For example, the dance is meant to discourage sex before marriage thus reducing the spread of sexually transmitted diseases such as Aids. However, Aids can also be contracted through anal sex which happens quite often in the kingdom and this defeats the purpose of reducing sexually transmitted diseases. A girl who has practiced anal sex is still considered a virgin during the dance. The criterion used in testing virginity is controversial too. Conclusion Various facts, information and controversies have been given about the reed dance. Some individuals and societies support the dance while some are against it, it’s left for you to judge

Read more: http://buzzsouthafrica.com/reed-dance/

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