The stage is set for the colourful Reed Dance this coming weekend. This year marks 40 years since the revival of Umkhosi Womhlanga (reed dance).
The first leg of the annual Zulu Royal Reed Dance, took place last week, at Emachobeni Royal Palace in Ingwavuma, and was attended by an estimated 5000 maidens.
This coming weekend all roads lead to Nongoma where the three-day cultural spectacle is set to take place at eNyokeni Royal Palace in Nongoma from September 13 to 15. An estimated 40 000 maidens are expected to descend on the northern KZN town under the Zululand District Municipality.
According to the KZN department of Sports, Arts and Culture this cultural practice mirrors a proud moment where young maidens voluntarily choose to display their commitment to sexual abstinence.
During this event maidens, dawning a variety of colourful traditional regalia and ornaments signifying purity and virginity, take a walk of pride in groups, chanting slogans and singing traditional hymns to His Majesty, King Misuzulu KaZwelithini to present reed which is symbolic to each girls’ triumph over temptations and a steadfast choice of preserving virginity.
The department said this year’s celebration includes a multi-layered programme that will delve deep into equipping young girls with a buffet of skills and career guidance with the aim to arm them with necessary tools to deal with social ills affecting the youth.
“Owing to the significance of this year’s instalment of the annual Reed Celebration, the build-up activities kicked-off on a jovial mood in the past weeks with a series of district activations through the #SiyayaEmhlangeni campaign aimed at preparing maidens for the big day.
“Umkhosi Womhlanga was the late King Zwelithini Kabhekuzulu noble way to revive cultural practices that promote good and morally acceptable behaviour amongst maidens. In his brilliance, together with Queen Mantfombi Ka Sobhuza, a foundation for a moral compass for the maidens was established.
“Revived in 1984 with the focus to preach the gospel of purity in young maidens, this ceremony has grown in leaps and bounds from the initial attendance of a mere 500 maidens in 1984, to over 35 000 in recent years,” read the statement from the department.
The Mercury