/ 28 August 2008

Swazi maidens prepare for reed dance

Swaziland's King Mswati III on Thursday sent more than 50 000 young women into the fields to cut reeds for an annual ritual next week.

Swaziland’s King Mswati III on Thursday sent more than 50 000 young women into the fields to cut reeds for an annual ritual next week at which he may choose his 14th bride.

The ceremony on Monday comes ahead of controversial double celebrations to mark the impoverished kingdom’s 40 years of independence from Britain and Mswati’s 40th birthday on September 6.

”Since you know that the country is faced with these major activities, I urge you to behave yourselves and make sure that you display respect so that tourists would return to the country,” the Queen mother, Ntombi Twala, told the girls.

The young women were sent to two locations to cut reeds to be used in the annual reed dance at Ludzidzini royal palace, near the capital Mbabane.

The age-old ceremony is aimed at encouraging young women to abstain from sex before marriage.

Close to 40% of the adult population of one million is infected with HIV/Aids, according to the United Nations.

The king and eight of his wives returned last week from a controversial Middle East shopping trip in preparation for the so called 40-40 celebrations.

The trip attracted unprecedented condemnation from womens’ groups, political parties and civil-society groups. – AFP

 

AFP