BY THEMBA ZWANE
LUDZIDZINI– A new digital platform is seeking to change the way the world learns about Eswatini by bringing the Kingdom’s culture, traditions, history and way of life together in one comprehensive online application.
The app, Buhle Betfu, developed by Dominos Technologies, was introduced to the public by the company’s Director, Sipho Tfwala, during the main day of the 2026 Umhlanga Reed Dance Ceremony at Ludzidzini Royal Residence on August 31, 2026.
Tfwala said the educational application was created to provide emaSwati, tourists and people around the world with reliable and comprehensive information about Eswatini’s cultural heritage.
He said users interested in learning about cultural ceremonies such as Umhlanga would be able to access information about the ceremony, including its traditions and designated traditional attire, known as imvunulo.
The application also provides information on other major cultural events, including Incwala and Umkhosi Wemaganu, giving users an opportunity to learn about Eswatini’s cultural calendar from a single platform.
Beyond cultural education, Buhle Betfu also creates an online marketplace for emaSwati involved in the production and sale of cultural products.
According to Tfwala, local producers of traditional attire, utensils and other cultural items can upload their products and services onto the application, allowing potential customers from different parts of the world to discover and purchase them.
He said international customers would be able to make payments using Visa cards, while local users could utilise services such as MTN Mobile Money (MoMo) and Instacash.
The application also seeks to preserve and share Eswatini’s history, including information about previous Kings and monarchs of the Kingdom.
It further provides educational material on traditional dances such as Ummiso and Sibhaca, with videos of traditional groups demonstrating the dances and providing educational information.
Tfwala said the application also has a booking facility through which users can book traditional groups to perform at events.
The platform further seeks to strengthen the tourism experience by connecting visitors with Liswati cultural experts who can welcome tourists upon arrival, including at the airport, and guide them to places where they can see, learn about and experience Eswatini culture.
Tfwala said the idea behind the application was driven by a gap in the way Eswatini’s culture is represented and understood internationally.
He said information about the Kingdom available in other parts of the world was sometimes second-hand or inaccurate, despite the country possessing a rich and distinctive cultural heritage.
“The main objective of creating the app was to try and bridge a gap identified where other nations are given second-hand or inaccurate information about Eswatini and its culture,” Tfwala said.
He stressed that the platform was intended to ensure that information about Eswatini’s culture comes from people with knowledge and experience of the country’s traditions and history.
Tfwala said senior and experienced citizens had contributed details about the country’s history, rather than relying solely on information from people with limited knowledge found online.
Buhle Betfu therefore positions technology as a vehicle for cultural preservation, education and tourism, while simultaneously opening a digital marketplace for the people who make a living from Eswatini’s cultural heritage.
The platform seeks to ensure that whether someone wants to understand Umhlanga, learn a traditional dance, explore the history of the Kingdom, purchase traditional products or experience Eswatini culture through a local expert, the information and services can be accessed from one digital platform.
The introduction of the application at the Umhlanga ceremony places technology alongside one of the Kingdom’s most prominent cultural institutions, highlighting an effort to use modern digital tools to preserve, explain and share Eswatini’s heritage with a global audience.
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(Courtesy Pic)
