Culture of Eswatini

The culture of Swazi people involves music, food, religion, architecture, and kinship, among many other things.

In Eswatini, one of the most visible features of cultural identity is the traditional political structure of the nation and the home.

There are national cultural events such as umhlanga, emaganu and incwala which take place at Royal residences of the Ngwenyama and Ndlovukati.

Local cultural events in communities or imiphakatsi, take place at the residence of the chief also called emphakatsini.

The principal Swazi social unit is the homestead, a traditional beehive hut thatched with dry grass.

[citation needed] Central to the traditional homestead is the cattle byre, or kraal, a circular area enclosed by large logs inter-spaced with branches.

He also spends time socialising with the young boys, who are often his sons or close relatives, advising them on the expectations of growing up and manhood.

The Inyanga (a medical and pharmaceutical specialist in western terms) possesses the bone throwing skill ("kushaya ematsambo") used to determine the cause of the sickness.

Incwala is often translated in English as 'first fruits ceremony', but the King's tasting of the new harvest is only one aspect among many in this long pageant.

The aims of the ceremony are to preserve girls' chastity, provide tribute labour for the Queen Mother and to encourage solidarity by working together.

The royal family appoints a commoner maiden to be "induna" (captain) of the girls and she announces over the radio the dates of the ceremony.

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.

[2] Historical pottery in Eswatini includes mostly clay pots that are used for carrying water, beer cooking and decorations.

The products are unique and reflect the culture of Eswatini, ranging from housewares, to artistic decorations, to complex glass, stone, or wood artwork.