Reed dance
Every year in early September, Zulus and Swazis gather in their respective lands for a big festival called umkhosi womhlanga or reed dance. It’s a very important festival as it marks the start of spring, which is a new season for planting seeds and is generally seen as one symbolising a fresh new beginning.
Thousands descend upon kwaNongoma in the northern KwaZulu Natal province where the Zulu king’s main palace is located. In essence you could say Nongoma then is the capital of the Zulu nation. I’ve been to a couple of these festivals and it is truly a remarkable spectacle from an outsider’s point of view; the dancing, the singing, the chanting, the traditional garb, all the bright colours, smiling faces, lots of laughter, food and drink. And of course the long reeds themselves. Maidens of virgin status take part in the dance as they are deemed “pure and innocent” in thought. Virginity in the old days was cherished, in many global societies, not just Zulu culture. It symbolised clean youth, a simple way of life. It told society that you or your child was a “good” person, a person of excellent family morals whose humanly desires could never overcome her resolve to remain a virgin until marriage.
What began to happen is that because most of the land’s young girls were in attendance, the residing monarch would spot one while the festival went on and resume a courtship, or at least attempt to. Of course she could always refuse the king, but that was not at all encouraged as kings of the time were exceptionally quick to punish anyone who they thought went against the rule of the land, which was essentially the word of the king. This practice also saved the king time as he always knew the maidens were virgins and that they were available. Older maidens called amaqhikiza, who were spoken for, could not take part in the reed dance. The king could also take as many wives as he wanted.
An important point to make about the reed dance is that no young girl is forced to partake. Yes families do put pressure on them to because it means they can prove to the world their virginity, but they are not forced. In fact, from what I have gathered, many certainly desire to attend, just in case the king spots them while they dance and makes them his wife number so and so. Being royalty cannot be bought by any amount of money and for these girls the festival holds a good chance to becoming royalty. Actually, the king’s own daughters take part as well.
Lately though the mainstream media has been at the forefront of criticising the reed dance, saying it is a backward tradition, one that degrades women and makes a mockery of the “one-man one-woman” romance idea. I do believe our Westernisation and vast cultural ignorance has played a huge part in such criticism, that we severely lack understanding and tolerance for other people’s customs as a nation. One only has to think back to last year on the SPCA and Tony Yengeni’s little storm in a teacup regarding his slaughtering of a bull to thank his ancestors. Had this ritual taken place in a homeland or a township people would have come from far and wide to celebrate with him, instead of throwing stones without trying to appreciate his custom.
Every year in early September, Zulus and Swazis gather in their respective lands for a big festival called umkhosi womhlanga or reed dance. It’s a very important festival as it marks the start of spring, which is a new season for planting seeds and is generally seen as one symbolising a fresh new beginning.
Thousands descend upon kwaNongoma in the northern KwaZulu Natal province where the Zulu king’s main palace is located. In essence you could say Nongoma then is the capital of the Zulu nation. I’ve been to a couple of these festivals and it is truly a remarkable spectacle from an outsider’s point of view; the dancing, the singing, the chanting, the traditional garb, all the bright colours, smiling faces, lots of laughter, food and drink. And of course the long reeds themselves. Maidens of virgin status take part in the dance as they are deemed “pure and innocent” in thought. Virginity in the old days was cherished, in many global societies, not just Zulu culture. It symbolised clean youth, a simple way of life. It told society that you or your child was a “good” person, a person of excellent family morals whose humanly desires could never overcome her resolve to remain a virgin until marriage.
What began to happen is that because most of the land’s young girls were in attendance, the residing monarch would spot one while the festival went on and resume a courtship, or at least attempt to. Of course she could always refuse the king, but that was not at all encouraged as kings of the time were exceptionally quick to punish anyone who they thought went against the rule of the land, which was essentially the word of the king. This practice also saved the king time as he always knew the maidens were virgins and that they were available. Older maidens called amaqhikiza, who were spoken for, could not take part in the reed dance. The king could also take as many wives as he wanted.
An important point to make about the reed dance is that no young girl is forced to partake. Yes families do put pressure on them to because it means they can prove to the world their virginity, but they are not forced. In fact, from what I have gathered, many certainly desire to attend, just in case the king spots them while they dance and makes them his wife number so and so. Being royalty cannot be bought by any amount of money and for these girls the festival holds a good chance to becoming royalty. Actually, the king’s own daughters take part as well.
Lately though the mainstream media has been at the forefront of criticising the reed dance, saying it is a backward tradition, one that degrades women and makes a mockery of the “one-man one-woman” romance idea. I do believe our Westernisation and vast cultural ignorance has played a huge part in such criticism, that we severely lack understanding and tolerance for other people’s customs as a nation. One only has to think back to last year on the SPCA and Tony Yengeni’s little storm in a teacup regarding his slaughtering of a bull to thank his ancestors. Had this ritual taken place in a homeland or a township people would have come from far and wide to celebrate with him, instead of throwing stones without trying to appreciate his custom.
1 comment:
Good for people to know.
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