Heritage Day: Swazi South Africans
South Africa celebrates National Heritage Day on 24 September 2015. We are a proud Rainbow Nation with 11 official languages across our beautiful country, and today we take a look at all our unique cultures that make us one of the most diverse countries in the world.
The Swazi live in southeastern Africa, mainly in Swaziland and South Africa. There have been more Swazi people living in South Africa than in Swaziland since the late 1800s.
The Swazi people and the Kingdom of Swaziland today are named after Mswati II, who became king in 1839.
Population: 2 482 046 (2011 Census)
Regions where Swazi people live: South Africa and Swaziland
Languages: IsiSwazi, English, Afrikaans
Famous Swazi people: Mswati III (The king of Swaziland)
Traditional attire: As children, Swazi males wear lion skin and females wear string of beads and skirt of grass or cloth. Age 8 to 17 year-old males wear lion skin and start to wear a cap to cover their genitals. Age 8 to 15 year-old females wear skirt of grass or skirt and short toga of cloth, never long; bead necklaces.
Watch these videos on the Swazi South African culture:
When they marry, males wear lion skin and newly-wedded females wear a skin apron and skin skirt, and an apron is worn under the armpits. After the birth of the first child the apron is raised over one shoulder and hair is put in a bun.
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