HIS Majesty King Mswati III has summoned Imbali to attend the second leg of the Umhlanga Reed Dance at Mbangweni Royal Residence next Friday.
Through an announcement made by Indvuna Yembali Bongiwe ‘Vivane’ Hlatjwako yesterday, His Majesty summoned maidens to attend the second leg of the Reed Dance to be held in the Shiselweni region at Mbangweni Royal Residence.
The maidens, according to the announcement, are expected to arrive on Friday, September 11, where they will also register. The maidens are expected to come with their reed, which they will present before Their Majesties on Saturday.
Hlatjwako said the maidens will dance on Sunday, September 13.
She said Their Majesties were advising every traditional authority to deploy four men and two women to accompany the maidens to the Reed Dance, so that if one of the maidens falls sick, two of the males will report to the relevant authorities and in the event the maiden is admitted to hospital, they will report to her parents.
“Chiefs and princesses responsible for the different communities are encouraged to advise the maidens and the men who will accompany them before they leave the chiefdoms. Men know that they sleep alone while maidens also sleep alone,” she said.
The announcement came two days after the conclusion of the first leg of the Reed Dance at Ludzidzini Royal Residence. During the first leg of Umhlanga, throngs of imbali attended and showed excitement. Some of the maidens, especially those from the Shiselweni region, mentioned that they could not wait to attend the second leg of Umhlanga as they had fun at Ludzidzini.
One of the maidens, identified as Sinikiwe Dlamini from Somntongo under Chief Gasawa Ngwane had mentioned that she was happy with this year’s Umhlanga Ceremony. She said she was now looking forward to the Reed Dance Ceremony which will be held in the Shiselweni region.
She said she would attend the second leg of the Reed Dance because she had fun at Ludzidzini and has hope that the pace would remain the same even in Shiselweni.
“This was the best Umhlanga that I have ever attended. I do not know if this was because there were fireworks at the festival or that the country is in a celebratory mood,” she said.
Meanwhile, Zethu Magagula from Ngudzeni under Chief Maloyi III also mentioned that they were now looking forward to the upcoming Umhlanga in Shiselweni. She said she was used to attending both ceremonies as she is from Shiselweni.
