Afrym
Festivals & Celebrations

Umhlanga: Eswatini's Reed Dance

Every year in late winter, tens of thousands of young women in Eswatini cut tall reeds, carry them to the Queen Mother's royal residence, and dance. Here is what Umhlanga means.

By Amos Hope Jnr · · 3 min read

Illustration of young Swazi women in beadwork carrying tall reeds in the Umhlanga procession

Imagine a long line of young women, thousands of them, walking through the hills, each carrying a tall bundle of reeds high above her head. They wear bright beaded skirts, sashes and anklets, and they sing as they walk. When they arrive at the royal residence, they lay down the reeds, and the dancing begins: wave after wave of singing girls moving in rhythm, filling a huge open field. This is Umhlanga, the Reed Dance, one of the most important ceremonies in the kingdom of Eswatini (formerly Swaziland).

A kingdom of ceremonies

Eswatini is a small, landlocked country between South Africa and Mozambique. It is one of the last absolute monarchies in the world, ruled by a king (the Ngwenyama, "lion") together with the Queen Mother (the Ndlovukati, "she-elephant"), who holds great ceremonial and social importance. The Swazi have a rich calendar of royal ceremonies, the best known being Incwala, the kingship ceremony held in December–January, and Umhlanga in late winter.

The ceremony

Umhlanga usually takes place over about eight days in late August or early September, centred on the royal residence at Ludzidzini, home of the Queen Mother. The steps typically include:

  1. Gathering. Girls and young women from around 200 chiefdoms — up to tens of thousands of them — gather at the royal residence, organised in groups by age and region.
  2. Cutting reeds. They travel to reed beds, sometimes far away, and cut tall reeds, often staying overnight.
  3. Carrying the reeds. They return carrying bundles of reeds and present them to the Queen Mother. The reeds go towards mending the reed fence (guma) that shelters her home — a gesture of service to her.
  4. Dancing. On the main days, the young women dance and sing in front of the royal family, chiefs and the public. The king attends, and members of the royal family lead groups of dancers.

Participants wear traditional dress: beaded necklaces, short beaded skirts, colourful sashes, and anklets. The dresses and colours of the sashes can indicate status, region or royal connections.

Meaning and debate

The ceremony is presented as a way of honouring the Queen Mother, celebrating the dignity and unity of young women, and bringing people from across the country together. Many participants describe it as a source of pride and a highlight of their year.

Umhlanga has also attracted debate. Critics, both within Eswatini and abroad, have raised concerns about the political role of the monarchy, the costs of royal ceremonies in a country with high poverty, and the fact that kings have, on occasion, chosen new wives from among the dancers. Supporters argue that it is a cherished cultural tradition that should be respected. These arguments are part of wider conversations in Eswatini about tradition and change.

A similar Reed Dance (Umkhosi woMhlanga) is held by the Zulu royal house in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, at Enyokeni Palace, also in September. Like Umhlanga, it brings together large numbers of young women in a celebration of culture, and the beadwork worn by participants continues traditions described in our story on Zulu beadwork.

Why it matters

Umhlanga is one of the largest cultural gatherings in southern Africa, a spectacle of song, colour and movement that has lasted through colonial rule and into the 21st century. It shows how ceremonies can bind a nation together — and how, like all living traditions, they are discussed, questioned and reinterpreted by each new generation.

Further reading

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