BY TANDZILE DLAMINI
LUDZIDZINI- The 2025 Umhlanga Reed Dance has highlighted Eswatini’s role as a custodian of culture in Southern Africa, with more than 2 500 maidens from neighbouring South Africa joining the colourful ceremony. Delegations from the Zulu and Ndebele nations walked side by side with emaSwati maidens, showcasing a shared heritage that continues to go beyond borders.
The large turnout by visiting maidens is being viewed as a reflection of the reed dance’s growing influence across the region, as well as its ability to unite young women in celebrating discipline, dignity, and pride in womanhood.
Among those who returned for a second time was Samkelisiwe Zuma, an Indvuna of Imbali from Soweto. She said Umhlanga provides maidens with a platform to embrace their values openly. “For us, good manners and virginity are not something to be ashamed of. They bring honour and respect. That is why we keep coming back to celebrate them,” she explained.
Another participant, Nombuso Mhlongo from the Zulu delegation, could not hide her excitement at attending the ceremony for the third time. She said what makes the event special is the unity it fosters. “Every time I attend, I feel like I belong, not just to my community, but to something bigger. The warmth of the emaSwati always makes us feel at home,” she said, adding that the reed dance shows the deep cultural ties Africans share.
For first-time attendees, the experience was even more profound. Nomphumelelo Sibanyoni of the Ndebele nation described her participation as a long-awaited dream fulfilled. She said she had heard about Umhlanga for years but witnessing the discipline, singing, and dancing firsthand gave her a deeper appreciation of its meaning. “Walking with thousands of maidens, carrying reeds and singing the same songs, makes you realise that this is more than tradition, it is about solidarity and pride in being African,” she said.
Observers have pointed to this year’s participation of foreign maidens as proof that Umhlanga continues to grow in regional importance. For many, it is becoming a platform where culture not only preserves identity but also strengthens unity.
International visitors also took notice. Trevor Galbraith from Australia praised the diversity of the delegations, saying it showed that Eswatini’s traditions resonate far beyond the Kingdom. “When we see sisters from across borders joining this celebration, it tells us that these traditions are alive, strong, and unifying,” he remarked.
Local participants said the presence of Zulu and Ndebele maidens added pride and visibility to the event, making this year’s reed dance one of the most memorable in recent years.
