BY SIPHOSETHU MABUZA
MANZINI – It can trend too, traditional attires and dances, language and cultural celebrations, Eswatini’s heritage is finding a new audience in a place where trends move at the speed of a scroll social media.
For a younger generation that spends much of its time on platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Facebook and YouTube, culture is no longer experienced only at traditional gatherings. It is increasingly appearing on timelines, in short videos, music clips, fashion content and digital storytelling.
Young Emaswati are using these platforms to give familiar traditions a modern presentation. A traditional outfit can become the centrepiece of a fashion shoot, a cultural dance can become a popular video, while Swati music can reach listeners who may never have encountered it outside the country.
This has given entertainment a new role in cultural preservation. Music, fashion and visual content are not only forms of entertainment; they can also become ways of introducing audiences to the identity behind them.
The growing relationship between culture and entertainment is particularly visible when traditional elements are incorporated into contemporary performances. Artists can blend familiar cultural sounds with modern production, while performers and dancers can present traditional movements to audiences in new settings.
Social media has also changed how cultural moments are experienced. A person may attend an event and share videos with friends before the programme has even ended, allowing those who were not there to experience a glimpse of the atmosphere.
For entertainers and creators, this digital exposure can also open doors. A creative piece featuring Swati culture can attract audiences beyond Eswatini, giving artists, designers, dancers and content creators opportunities to showcase their work internationally.
However, taking culture online comes with responsibility. Not every tradition can simply be reduced to a trend or entertainment clip. Understanding the meaning behind cultural practices is important, particularly when presenting them to audiences unfamiliar with Eswatini.
The challenge for today’s creators is therefore finding the balance between making culture exciting and accessible while respecting its authenticity.
For young Emaswati, the digital space offers an opportunity to tell their own cultural stories in their own voices. Instead of allowing global trends to completely dominate their timelines, they can make room for the music, fashion, language and traditions that speak to where they come from.
Culture has always found ways to evolve, and now it is finding its way onto screens. From a traditional song playing through a phone speaker to Swati fashion lighting up a social media feed, Eswatini’s heritage is proving that tradition does not have to disappear in the digital age. It can trend too.
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