South Africa: Thousands of Zulu women gather for reed dance ceremony

Bright outfits and dancing filled the streets of Ingwavuma, in South Africa's southeastern KwaZulu-Natal province on Saturday, as thousands of young zulu women gethered to take part in the annual Reed Dance ceremony.

Every September, young women, locally known as "maidens", head to the royal palace to present a long reed to Zulu King Misuzulu kaZwelithini.

For participant Sno’thando, the event is a way of preserving tradition.

"We are here to be taught how to respect ourselves, our bodies, and remember our culture and preserve it for the coming generations," she says.

For the participants, the reed is a symbolic gesture implying their commitment to maintaining a tradition passed down through generations.

Participants aso view it as a way of looking after themselves. Cebisa Ntshangeni says "it's important because this continues to encourage us to look after ourselves, we love it and most of the time it's in your heart that when you are a maiden you must look after yourself until its time to get married."

The event is also attended by members of the royal family, traditional Zulu regiments and instructors who accompany the participants. Among those who gathered for the ceremont on Saturday is 71-year-old Mam’Mahlinsa, who came with girls from her region.

"My name is Mom Mahlinza, and I am responsible for the girls from Elangeni here in Ngwavuma. Today we are here accompanying the girls [ed. maidens], in this celebration of the reeds, here in Ngwavuma, whereby the young ones, the ‘pure’ girls who have looked after themselves as maidens, come here to the royal house to bring “Ngangezwelakhe” [ed. the King] the reeds , showing that they are still looking after themselves as maidens, and remain like that," she says.

Singing and dancing took place throughout the ceremony. The yearly gathering remains an important expression of Zulu cultural identity, bringing together generations and preserving a tradition that has been ongoing for centuries.