Talk:Incwala

Rewriting of the whole article

I have rewritten the whole article based on information from SNTC and the papers by Hilda Kuper to outline the main parts of the ceremony. It should be noted that this is a religious ceremony and not a festival or cultural event. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ludvonga (talk • contribs) 19:14, 15 November 2013 (UTC)

N'cwala

I undid the recent edit adding information about N'cwala a Ngoni tribal event in Zambia. This is because this is an article about incwala from Swaziland. I propose that a separate page should be created regarding the N'cwala. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Ludvonga (talk • contribs) 18:52, 15 November 2013 (UTC)

The Ceremony

Originally practiced by all the Nguni peoples, the ceremony predates the Swazi nation. Prior to the main event, the water priests (the bemanti) are sent out from the Queen Mother's house to collect water from various rivers inside and outside the country, even as far as the Indian Ocean. As the water priests return, the new moon marks the beginning of Incwala Lencane (the minor Ncwala), in which the water priests enter the royal compound as a group. The head priest recites the praises of the king. They approach inhlambelo (the holy shrine), where they are met by best warriors of the king, who sing and act out insults and hate for the king. For two weeks, groups of these warriors disperse around the country, repeating these songs of hate. During this period, the king is covered with various materials which are applied and removed in a particular order, including oils, mud, and lion fur. Upon the first full moon after the winter solstice, the main Ncwala begins. Virgin males set out to find and collect staves from the sacred shrub lusekwane, Dichrostachys cinerea, and bring these back to repair the king's cattle enclosures. Younger boys help stack and rebuild the walls. This process lasts until the eve of the new moon. Within the royal compound a pure black bull is brought in, struck by the king to enrage it, and then swarmed by the virgin males, who pull it down kill it with their bare hands. A second black bull is brought in, but it is not killed. Held down, the king rides upon it, and is washed with the collected waters, made foamy with special plants. The king, now cleansed, is the bull of the nation. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Abductive (talk • contribs) 20:24, 13 June 2009 (UTC)

• The reason I did not add this text to the article is that the sources I was using are contradictory. Especially difficult to figure out is the order of events on the last couple of nights. I also suspect that the participants are straight up lying to anthropologists (who are not permitted to observe that most sacred events) for a variety of reasons both magical and practical, and that the ceremony has evolved over time. The only parts I am sure are true are "Originally practiced by all the Nguni peoples, the ceremony predates the Swazi nation. Prior to the main event, the water [priests? clan? tribe? former tribe?] (the bemanti) are sent out from [somewhere] to collect water from various rivers inside and outside the country, even as far as the Indian Ocean. As the water [priests? clan? tribe? former tribe?] return, the new moon marks the beginning of Incwala Lencane (the minor Ncwala), in which the water [priests? clan? tribe? former tribe?] enter the royal compound as a group." and "Virgin males set out to find and collect staves from the sacred shrub lusekwane, Dichrostachys cinerea, and bring these back to repair the king's cattle enclosures. Younger boys help stack and rebuild the walls. This process lasts until the eve of the new moon." Abductive (reasoning) 22:27, 4 October 2009 (UTC)

Lusekwane

Please help with effective, aims, 165.73.133.110 (talk) 08:33, 7 April 2022 (UTC)