Singing, jubilation and traditional Zulu culture were on full display at the annual Reed Dance, held from September 12 to 14 at the newly established eMashobeni Royal Palace in Pongola.

The venue is home to the king’s new wife to-be, Princess Sihle Mdhluli.

Umkhosi woMhlanga, which was previously hosted at the Enyokeni royal palace in Nongoma, saw maidens from across the country, including more than 1 000 from iLembe, gather to take part in the traditional celebration. Among them was Anele Mhlongo (25) from KwaDukuza, who has been attending the ceremony since 2017. She said the experience continues to inspire her.

“The most exciting part is handing over the reeds to the king and listening to his words of wisdom,” said Mhlongo.

The annual Reed Dance, held every September during Heritage Month, is an important cultural event in the Zulu nation that prepares maidens for womanhood. Participants must be virgins and are taught how to conduct themselves as women within cultural norms, promoting celibacy until marriage.

According to Zulu mythology, if a young woman who is not a virgin takes part in the ceremony, her reed will break and embarrass her in full public view. Upon passing a virginity test, the maidens are led by Zulu princesses, singing and dancing on their way to present their reeds to King Misuzulu kaZwelithini. The king then delivers a speech, after which the group bids farewell to the maidens who are heading into marriage.

The Reed Dance was reintroduced in South Africa in 1991 by King Goodwill Zwelithini, father of King Misuzulu kaZwelithini, as part of his campaign to reduce the spread of HIV and the high number of teenage pregnancies.

Before Covid-19, the event would see up to 50 000 maidens from KZN, Mpumalanga, Gauteng and Eswatini carrying a reed from the Nongoma River to the palace.

The change of venue this year caused some controversy. The provincial Public Works department had recently completed a 2 000 seat amphitheatre at Enyokeni, costing taxpayers R140-million, which was expected to be used for this year’s event. The structure had been requested by King Goodwill Zwelithini before his death.

For Mhlongo, the change of venue made this year’s ceremony bittersweet, citing chaotic organisation and a lack of accommodation options, which affected the overall experience for participants.

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