BY MBONO MDLULI
MBABANE – Deputy Prime Minister (DPM) Thulisile Dladla arrived in Zambia to represent His Majesty King Mswati III at the Incwala ceremony for the Ngoni nation, which was set to take place on February 22, 2025.
Dladla reached Kenneth Kaunda International Airport in Lusaka, Zambia, in the evening of February 20, 2025. His Majesty the King had been invited by His Majesty King Mphezeni, the king of the Ngoni people.
Dladla was welcomed by Eswatini’s Ambassador to Zambia, Lindiwe Kunene, and Zambia’s Minister of Justice, Princess Kasune. Part of Dladla’s delegation included Lizinyane Bandzile and the Minister of Justice and Constitutional Affairs, Prince Lonkhokhela. The delegation also comprised individuals participating in traditional dances during the Ngoni Incwala ceremony.
Others invited to the event came from countries such as South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. In the absence of both Dladla and Prime Minister Russell Mmiso Dlamini, Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs, Jane Mkhonta-Simelane, acted as prime minister. She led the delegation of Lutsango for the Buganu ceremony at Buhleni Royal Residence.
Dlamini was in Brussels, the capital of Belgium, attending the Annual Global Council for Political Renewal, where he was also representing His Majesty the King. According to Wikipedia, the Ngoni are an ethnic group of Bantu-speaking people residing in Southern Africa, found in Malawi, Mozambique, Tanzania, Zambia, and Zimbabwe.
History
- The Ngoni originated from the Zulu and Nguni people of KwaZulu-Natal in South Africa.
- They were displaced during the Zulu wars in the early 19th century.
- Their migration led to social reorganization as far north as Malawi and Zambia.
- The Ngoni engage in subsistence activities including agriculture, trading, and fishing.
Culture
- The Ngoni use riddles in their oral traditions, often before recounting folktales.
- Their traditional life and values are changing due to modern influences and utilitarian ideas.
- The Ngoni’s sense of place and identity is evolving.
