© Lonely Planet Publications 574 www.lonelyplanet.com SWAZILAND •• History 575 HISTORY In 1902, following the second Anglo-Boer The Beginnings of a Nation War (p37 ), the Boers withdrew and the Swaziland The area that is now Swaziland has been British took control of Swaziland as a pro- inhabited for millennia, and human-like tectorate. remains possibly dating back as far as 100,000 years have been discovered around Struggle for Independence the Lebombo Mountains in eastern Swazi- Swazi history in the early 20th century land. However, today’s Swazis trace their centred around the ongoing struggle for Embedded between Mozambique and South Africa, the kingdom of Swaziland is one of the ancestors to much more recent arrivals. independence. Under the leadership of King smallest countries in Africa. What the country lacks in size, it makes up for in its rich culture By around AD 500, various Nguni groups Sobhuza II (guided by the capable hands and heritage, and relaxed ambience. With its laid-back, friendly people and relative lack of had made their way to the region as part of his mother acting as regent while Sob- racial animosities, it’s a complete change of pace from its larger neighbours. of the great Bantu migrations ( p32 ). One huza was a child), the Swazis succeeded in of these groups settled in the area around regaining much of their original territory. During apartheid, Swaziland was known primarily for its casinos and nightclubs – forbidden present-day Maputo (Mozambique), even- This was done in part by direct purchase pleasures in apartheid-era South Africa. Since the dismantling of apartheid this reputation tually founding the Dlamini dynasty. In and in part by British government decree. has faded fast and the country’s true attractions have come to the fore. Visitors can enjoy the mid-18th century, in response to in- By the time of independence in 1968, about creasing pressure from other clans in the two-thirds of the kingdom was again under rewarding and delightfully low-key wildlife-watching, adrenaline-boosting activities such as area, the Dlamini king, Ngwane III, led his Swazi control. This was a major develop- rafting, taking in stunning mountain panoramas and a lively traditional culture. Swaziland people southwest to the Pongola River, in ment, as Swazi kings are considered to hold also boasts superb walking and an excellent selection of high-quality handicrafts. present-day southern Swaziland and north- the kingdom in trust for their subjects, and ern KwaZulu-Natal. This became the first land ownership is thus more than just a Overseeing all this is King Mswati III, one of three remaining monarchs in Africa. The monar- Swazi heartland, and today, Swazis consider political and economic issue. Having a chy has its critics, but combined with the Swazis’ history of resistance to the Boers, the British Ngwane III to have been their first king. large proportion of the country owned by and the Zulus, it has fostered a sense of national pride, and local culture is flourishing. It was Ngwane’s successor, Sobhuza I, foreigners threatened the credibility of the SWAZILAND who established a base in the Ezulwini Val- monarchy and the viability of Swazi cul- The excellent road system makes Swaziland easy to access and navigate. There’s accom- ley, which still remains the centre of Swazi ture. It was also during this time that many modation to suit every taste, ranging from a decent network of hostels to family-friendly royalty and ritual. Following Sobhuza I on Swazis began seeking work as migrant hotels and upscale retreats. Many travellers make a flying visit on their way to Kruger National the throne was the renowned King Mswazi labourers in the Witwatersrand mines of SWAZILAND SWAZILAND Park, but it’s well worth lingering at least a week. If you come during one of the national (or Mswati), after whom the Swazi take South Africa, in part to raise money to buy their name. Despite considerable pressure back their lands. festivals, notably the Incwala ceremony or the Umhlanga (Reed) dance (see the boxed text, from the neighbouring Zulu, Mswazi suc- In 1960 King Sobhuza II proposed the p583 ), you can have a tantalising taste of the culture for which Swaziland is so renowned. ceeded in unifying the whole kingdom. He creation of a Legislative Council, to be com- also extended Swazi territory northwards posed of Europeans elected along European HIGHLIGHTS as far as Hhohho, in what is now north- lines, and a National Council formed in western Swaziland, largely in response to accordance with Swazi culture. One of the Watching wildlife, including rare black rhinos continued Zulu incursions on Swazi ter- Swazi political parties formed at this time in the wild, at the excellent Mkhaya Game ritory to the south. By the time he died in was the Mbokodvo (Grindstone) National Reserve ( p594 ) Bulembu 1868, the foundations of the young Swazi Movement, which pledged to maintain trad- Malolotja Nature Hiking in Malolotja Nature Reserve ( p590 ) Reserve nation were secure. itional Swazi culture while eschewing racial or Ngwempisi Gorge ( p595 ), two of Swazi- From the mid-19th century, Swaziland discrimination. When the British finally began to attract increasing numbers of agreed to elections in 1964, Mbokodvo won land’s most enchanting wilderness areas Mlilwane Wildlife Ezulwini Valley Sanctuary Euro pean farmers in search of land for their a majority. At the next elections, in 1967, it Browsing the craft shops and royal heart- Malkerns Valley cattle, as well as hunters, traders and mis- won all the seats. Independence was finally land of the Ezulwini Valley ( p582 ) and the Mkhaya Game Reserve sionaries. Mswazi’s successor, Mbandzeni, achieved – the culmination of a long and Malkerns Valley ( p587 ) Usutu River inherited a kingdom rife with European remarkably nonviolent path – on 6 Sep- Shooting white-water rapids on the Usutu carpetbaggers, and proved much weaker tember 1968, 66 years after the start of the River (see the boxed text, p595 ) Ngwempisi Gorge at reining them in than Mswazi. Under British protectorate. Walking around Mlilwane Wildlife Sanctu- Mbandzeni, increasing amounts of the The first Swazi constitution was largely a ary ( p586 ) and relaxing in its comfortable kingdom’s land were alienated through British creation, and in 1973 the king sus- bargain lodges leases granted to Europeans, with bribes pended it on the grounds that it did not for the king featuring heavily in some of accord with Swazi culture. Four years later Exploring the ghost town of Bulembu the deals. parliament reconvened under a new consti- ( p592 ) in the country’s northwest Over the next decades, the Swazis saw tution vesting all power in the king. their territory whittled away as the British Sobhuza II died in 1982, at that time the POPULATION: 1.1 MILLION AREA : 17,364 SQ KM and Boers jostled for power in the area. world’s longest-reigning monarch. Most 576 SWAZILAND www.lonelyplanet.com www.lonelyplanet.com SWAZILAND •• Climate 577 0 30 km SWAZILAND 0 20 miles THE PILLAR OF POLYGAMY To Nelspruit To Malelane To Malelane Komatipoort (8km) (22km) (10km) When King Sobhuza II died, at age 83, he left about 120 official wives, with unofficial estimates putting the number of his wives and mistresses at more than double this number. The current R570 King Mswati III has 13 wives. The king was the centre of controversy in 2001 when he married a R 38 17 year old, two months after imposing a five-year sex ban on the kingdom’s teenage females. The LEGEND GR Game Reserve ‘forced’ chastity was imposed to fight the spread of HIV/AIDS. He ended the ban a year early. Bothasnek R Jeppe's Reef NP National Park 38 Hhohho Matsamo NR Nature Reserve Despite this proliferation of spouses among prominent figures, formal polygamy is declining Barberton r e WS Wildlife Sanctuary v in Swaziland. One of the main reasons for this is that it has become too expensive: each time R i 40 R Ngonini Nelshoogte Pass ti a a man marries, he must pay lobola (bride price – usually cattle) to the family of his fiancé. This Makonjwam MR1 lu Herefords To Badplaas M has led to an increase in the number of ‘informal’ affairs. (25km) R571 Saddleback Pass M O Z A M B I Q U E Phophonyane Falls To Maputo (50km) Josefsdal Sihhoya Bulembu Mananga 2 Mgwayiza Piggs significant among his accomplishments modification of the monarchy (demand- Range Peak Sand Namaacha River Lomahasha was his success in ensuring the continued ing a constitutional instead of an absolute Maguga Dam M13 Reservoir Tshaneni MPUMALANGA Komati Mhlume existence of his country and culture, under monarchy), rather than its complete aban- (SOUTH AFRICA) Riv er Bholekane Malolotja Phinduvuke threat since his father’s reign. He is still donment. NR N Mnjoll Tambankulu 17 Enkhaba Dam Shewula referred to as ‘the late king’. In 1986 the Putting these constitutional wranglings Forbes Reef Maphiveni To Johannesburg r young Mswati III ascended the throne, into sharp perspective is the scourge of e 2 (via Carolina &ὈὈὈ v ὈὈὈ Ngwenya Hawane NR i Middelburg) Oshoek R where he continues today to represent and AIDS: Swaziland has now surpassed Bot- (335km) Hawane Dam Simunye Motjane Mlawula & Mliba Mbuluzi NR maintain the traditional Swazi way of life, swana as the country with the world’s high- Mbuluz Lu i River Hlane Royal Goba sus Mhlumeni and to assert his pre-eminence, for better est HIV infection rate in the world (see hw MR5 NP a MBABANE e na n Waverley R a and often worse, as absolute monarch. boxed text, p578 ). i Luve z Lundzi v lu er u Ezulwini b SWAZILAND Luphohlo Dam M MR7 Mantenga Mpisi Ezulwini L E Current Events CLIMATE ὈὈὈNR Valley ὈὈὈ Mhlambanyatsi Mpaka Lonhlupheko Lobamba MR3 Swaziland is run by King Mswati III and Most of Swaziland enjoys a climate similar Mafutseni B O M B O Mlilwane MR3 Manzini ni Siteki a small core of advisers (Council of Min- to that of South Africa’s eastern lowveld, WS uti River Mahlanya Hhelehhele b Bhunya Matsapha Tim isters).