Bruce Ndlovu, Sunday Life Reporter
AS the Air Zimbabwe’s Boeing 737 finally came to rest on the tarmac at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International airport, on Friday morning, all eyes were fixed on the great bird’s doors.
Amongst the several hundred strong crowd waiting for King Mswati III, who was yet still lodged in the belly of this flying metallic beast, was President Mnangagwa, who had a little while earlier joined his fellow countrymen as they eagerly waited for the monarch.
While the great Boeing plane’s engines heaved a few sighs, as if in relief at the end of its journey from the capital, the presence of the king was keenly awaited, with security detail gathering in formation.
However, while the security of the king was paramount, for some, all eyes would have been on the attire that the monarch had on that morning. Once he alighted from the plane, it became clear that King Mswati instead had made different fashion choice for this occasion, as instead of his famous traditional attire, he came decked out in a slick dark suit, complemented by a gold polka dotted tie and sneakers. His aides, however, provided the anticipated feast for eyes that hungered for traditional Swati gear.
As they set foot on the warm Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport tarmac in their scandals, they seemed to blend in seamlessly with the dancers in Ndebele ethnic gear who were there to welcome dignitaries with song and dance.
This was not a scene from a Marvel comic book. It was not the fictional state of Wakanda, but two cultures with obvious links coming face to face and embracing, however briefly, as two heads of state shook hands.
President Mnangagwa, King Mswati III with his entourage at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport on Friday
The Ndebele ethnic attire from the dancers and some members of the crowd was distinct and easy to pick up for those familiar with Ndebele ethnic wear. Amabhetshu, multi-coloured bracelets and leather shields were on display as young men and women, some of them barefoot, pounded on drums mercilessly while breaking out in song so loud it seemed that public address system was in danger of being outshouted.
At the other end of the tarmac, the Nation’s Poet of Eswatini and the King’s Poet Musandi Kababa also found his voice amidst the cacophony of people cheering for their leaders. As the king’s praise names flowed out of his tongue, he would have earned high from local culturalists who have long said that young wordsmiths from Bulawayo are breaking tradition by moving about like performers as they go about their task. The Kingdom of Eswatini’s Poet laureate did as traditionalists like Pathisa Nyathi usually demand, keeping his movements to a minimum while making sure that his voice was loud and clear.
Few in the crowd could have known that there’s more than meets the eye when it comes to the Swati traditional gear that the poet was wearing on the occasion.
While King Mswati III has made famous the red cloth that sometimes comes emblazoned with chevrons, diamonds and spirals that also have a lot in common with ethnic Ndebele designs, Swati traditional gear goes deeper and is often a signifier of the age group one belongs to or marital status.
From birth up until three months, traditionally both male and female infants are supposed to wear only protective medicines while from that point on until they are three, males are supposed to wear only a loin cloth. Their female counterparts are to wear nothing or a string of beads.
From the age of three up until eight, females only wear a string of beads, a skirt of grass or cloth. The country’s leading textile is Emahiya, also known as Lihiya in its singular form and usually measuring about 1.5 to 2 metres. The fabric is developed from cotton and is usually worn by men and women of the country during their festivities.
As they approach marriage, the gear worn by both male and females begins to change.
The younger women wear, Sidvwashi, a fabric tied at the waist, while the Lihiya covers the upper part of their body. The way this fabric of cloth is tied together is a message on its own, as it communicates whether the woman is married or single, with married women tying it over their left shoulder since they wear goat fur on their right side. In contrast, unmarried women tie the Lihiya over their right shoulder. The knot is linked just below the shoulder, or a brooch can substitute for the, while there is also a headband that can be worn according to the occasion. However, even this tradition comes with little variances that might be lost on a casual observer.
President Mnangagwa, King Mswati III with his entourage at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport on Friday
“A girl undergoes different stages when she grows up. She starts off as litjitji, to being intfombi, ingudlela and then ingcugce. For the first two stages, a girl wears indlamu at events like these (traditional reed dance) but after some time she moves on to being iZungela and that is when she may start wearing tidvwashi in the opposite direction,” said Hlangabeza Mdluli, Swaziland’s Imbali overseer.
In addition to accessories is the Ligcebesha, a bead necklace made in various colours and designs. The most commonly worn one represents some elements of the country’s flag. It is expected that at wedding parties, the bride wears orange and brown colours in her clothes while on the wrist, they don the Sigcizo bracelet.
While men also wear the Lihiya, the rest of their attire has the specifics of men’s clothing, such as, for example, the Emajobo, a leather apron that is worn over the men’s skirt. Depending on the occasion, they may even wear the Ligcebesha bead necklace and a band that crosses the upper part of the male body called the Umgaco while also carrying the Sagibo, a type of walking stick.