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By Celani Sikhakhane
- King Misuzulu kaZwelithini strongly condemned critics of the Reed Dance at this year’s ceremony, calling them criminals and vowing to protect the maidens from them.
- The remarks come amid an ongoing dispute between activists calling for the ceremony to be banned and maidens who have defended the tradition.
King Misuzulu kaZwelithini used this year’s Reed Dance to strongly condemn critics of the ceremony, calling them criminals and warning that anyone who interferes with the maidens will face corporal punishment.
Speaking to maidens at the annual Reed Dance, held at eMachobeni Royal Palace in Ingwavuma over the weekend, the King said he did not trust the motives of those calling for the ceremony to be banned, and described them as dangerous. He vowed that the maidens would be protected under his watch, and said the cultural ritual needed to be preserved.
The Reed Dance, known as uMkhosi woMhlanga, is commonly traced back to the era of King Shaka, who established it as a ceremony of purity and discipline among young women. The tradition, along with other Zulu cultural ceremonies, was disrupted following the wars that displaced Zulu communities, including the Battle of Isandlwana, when British forces invaded Zulu land.
The ceremony was revived in 1984 by Queen Regent Mantfombi kaSobhuza, the late mother of King Misuzulu, together with her husband, the late King Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu. It grew in prominence over the following decades, and King Zwelithini later used the platform to raise awareness around HIV and Aids during the height of the epidemic in the 1990s and early 2000s.
The ceremony has since become a platform for education and skills development for young women at eNyokeni Royal Palace, while growing government involvement has turned the event into a significant tourist attraction, with informal traders, businesses and universities using it to engage young women on further study and career opportunities.
Despite its growth, the ceremony has faced sustained criticism from activists opposed to the participation of girls under 16, some of whom have called for it to be banned entirely. The ANC Women’s League has previously called for the ceremony to end, describing it as a violation of women’s rights, a position that drew backlash from maidens themselves, who marched to the League’s offices at Luthuli House demanding it stay out of the tradition.
The Zulu Royal Household has since introduced measures around the ceremony, including restricting cameras in certain areas to protect the maidens’ privacy, and banning alcohol companies from advertising at the event.
Pictured above: Thousands of young maidens gathered at eMachobeni Royal Palace to take part in the annual Reed Dance before King Misuzulu kaZwelithini.
Image source: Sphamandla Mbhele (KZNDAC)
