The Kingdom of Swaziland is a landlocked country in southern Africa bordered by South Africa and Mozambique. Swaziland runs 120 miles north to south and 81 miles east to west – the total size of the country (6704 square miles) is only slightly larger than Hawaii.
Both the western half of the country and the eastern border are mountainous and beautiful.
Swaziland is primarily a rural country -- 75% of Swazis are employed in subsistence farming. The biggest city in Swaziland, Manzini, has a population of only 110,000 and aside from two large cities, much of the country is undeveloped.
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| Several locals waiting for the bus |
Swaziland takes its name from King Mswati I who, in the mid-1800’s, unified the various independent chiefdoms and small kingdoms in present-day Swaziland to solidify the Swazi nation for defense from outside invaders. Although the Swazis were unified by 1868, Swaziland didn’t gain its independence for 100 years. For nearly a century, Swaziland was a protectorate of Great Britain. The man who worked with Britain to negotiate Swaziland’s independence and who set the tone for Swazi national identity was King Sobhuza II.
King Sobhuza II ruled Swaziland from 1921 until his death in 1982. At the time of his death, he was the world’s longest-reigning monarch. There is a memorial and museum in Swaziland dedicated to the memory of this impressive man. It’s inspiring to find a leader who truly cares first and foremost about his country rather than personal gain.
In the early 1900’s, much of Swaziland was owned by foreign interests. King Sobhuza II encouraged the Swazi people to make money and buy land. They took heed and by the time of Swazi independence, two-thirds of the kingdom were back under Swazi control.
Primarily, however, King Sobhuza II was known for his ability to keep peace and stability in Swaziland, both internally and with other countries. He preached “trust” and “communication” as the answers to international disputes. “If people and nations talk about suspicions or differences frankly, our world will have peace and prosperity.”
At the height of the cold war, he counseled: “The practice of giving one another, even as nations, our backs, when there is some misunderstanding is no solution as it can only lead to our own destruction.” “What you need to do is help the one who thinks you are his enemy – not in the spirit of helping your enemy – but in the spirit of helping another human being, your brother, to see that you mean well towards him.” Reportedly, King Sobhuza practiced these beliefs in his personal life as well as diplomatically. It is no surprise that this leader was highly revered, not just in Swaziland, but around Africa and the world.
Swaziland is still ruled by a king. In fact, Swaziland is the last remaining absolute monarchy in Africa. The king, or Ngwenyama (the Lion) is not only the head of state but is also responsible for appointing the prime minister and certain members of parliament. Elections are only held for the remaining members of parliament. The king reigns along with his mother, the Ndlovukati (the She-Elephant), who is the spiritual head of state. This position has real power and acts as a counter balance to the King in governing the country.
Although there has been some discussion in Swaziland of changing the system of government to amend or abolish the monarchy, the majority of the Swazi population strongly supports the current political system.
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| The traditional shield and spears – symbols of the she-elephant and the lion -- are also found on the Swazi flag. |
While the monarchy may have huge homes and palaces, traditional Swazi homes are beehive-shaped huts made of dried grass.
A homestead usually consists of several of these huts, one for sleeping, one for cooking, and one for storage. Many Swazis are polygamous and each wife has her own hut within the homestead. Each hut is built surrounded by reed fences for privacy.
Nowadays, most homes are made with modern materials, but traditional homesteads can still be found.
Although most Swazis are involved in farming, the country has rich mineral resources. The mountains outside of Mbabane, the capital of Swaziland, contain large deposits of iron. In fact, the iron in these mountains was mined by hunters and gatherers over 45,000 years ago – making this the oldest mine in the world. In 1964, the Swazi government leased the rights to these iron deposits to a foreign mining company, who mined the area for 15 years. The iron was then taken via train through Mozambique to the coast where it was shipped to Japan for the auto industry. While the mine was operating, it represented 10% of the gross domestic product of Swaziland! In 1980, the railroads in Mozambique were destroyed during that country’s civil war so the mine had to be shut down.
The museum at the former mine had a photo of the open pit mine when the mine was in operation. I was fascinated to look at the picture and then look outside and see what nature can do when left alone for 30 years:
Swaziland is a beautiful country but the future is by no means secure. In addition to 60% of the population living below the poverty line (making less than $1.25/day), Swaziland has the highest HIV/AIDS infection rate in the world with over 26% of adults infected. According to the UN Development Program: if the epidemic continues the “longer term existence of Swaziland as a country will be seriously threatened.” In recent years, 64% of all deaths are caused by HIV/AIDS. Sadly, the outcome of this fact is that Swaziland has the lowest life expectancy in the world at 32 years – down from 64 years just 12 years ago. This is less than half of the worldwide average life expectancy.
Fortunately, in 2004, the Swazi government admitted they had a crisis and began to help its citizens. In one piece of good news, 80% of infected Swazis now have access to antiretroviral treatment. Hopefully, through treatment and education, Swaziland will turn the tide of this crisis.
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