‘Paving The Way For Missionaries’: In Africa’s Last Absolute Monarchy, Christianity Blends With Tradition
Eswatini, formerly known as Swaziland, is one of Africa’s most religious nations. Around 90% of the population identifies as Christian, but faith in the kingdom is far from uniform.
Christianity in Eswatini often blends with traditional Swazi beliefs, creating a spiritual landscape where church worship, ancestral customs and royal traditions coexist in complex ways.
With a population of 1.2 million people, Eswatini is located between South Africa and Mozambique and is the smallest African country. Rural communities are the stronghold of Eswatini's traditional institutions and values and characterize much of the country.
Real People. Real Reporting. Donate to Religion Unplugged now through August 17 and your gift will be doubled.
In Eswatini, the offices of the king and the queen mother are the most revered and sacred since the formation of the Swazi state in the 19th century. The country’s 2005 constitution spells out the honor and power of the Swazi dual monarchs. In particular, they both have executive powers on all three arms of the state, making Eswatini an absolute monarchy.
In spite of exercising absolute real power, religion experts applaud the monarchy for evolving with time into an accommodating institution that has allowed the cordial blending of Swazi Traditional Religion and Christianity in the country.
“The dual monarchy has supported and safeguarded Swazi religion and cultural identity while at the same time it was instrumental in cultivating and promoting the existing culture of religious tolerance in Swaziland,” said Hebron Ndlovu, a professor of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Eswatini.
Speaking on the constitutional protection of religion in Swaziland, Christa Rautenbach, a professor of law at North-West University, South Africa, said the acceptance of missionaries in Eswatini was tolerated because King Somhlolo had a vision about an unknown, distinct people with long hair who would bring the Bible and money.
“A voice directed the king to choose the umculu, that is, the Bible,” Rautenbach said. “This vision paved the way for Christian missionaries to settle in Swaziland, and they began with their labors to proselytize the entire Swazi population during the 1880s.”
The most sacred tradition
The Incwala — or the “Festival of the First Fruits” — is the main indigenous ritual that embodies the beliefs and rituals of Swazi traditional religion. The practice and ceremony glorify the Swazi monarchy, hosted at the Queen Mother's palace.
Essentially, the focus is on spiritual cleansing and renewal, and above all, celebrating kingship. The ceremony aligns with the summer solstice and lunar calendar, starting the long six-day events known as the Big Incwala.
But there are other events prior to and after this long week. Across the country, the ceremony events can stretch between four and six weeks, with the exact dates released relatively close to the time, as they come from ancestral astrology.
Before the big ceremony events, there is little Incwala, or preparations. The journey starts when the king commissions the bemanti (water people) to travel to rivers and the Indian Ocean to collect sacred water. This marks the beginning of the preparatory phase of song and dance.
Upon their return 14 days later, the main incwala begins. The nation gathers at the Ludzidzini Royal Residence in Lobama in full traditional war-dress to sing, drum, and dance. This will be followed by unmarried young men from Engabezweni Royal residence embarking on a significant 31-mile (50-kilometer) night march under the full moon to cut branches of the sacred lusekwane (a type of acacia) tree. According to the Eswathini National Trust Commission, these branches are used to reinforce the inhlambelo - the King’s private sanctuary.
Day four of the big incwala is the main day. The king performs a ritual tasting of the new season's crops, a symbolic act that grants permission for the nation to harvest and eat their own crops.
According to ENTC, the festival closes as regiments journey to the forest to gather firewood, which is used to build a central fire in the cattle byre, signifying the burning of the old year and the welcoming of the new. Every Swazi may take part in the public parts of the Incwala. However, this is not a tourism event; visitors with an interest in Eswatini culture are always welcome, but strict cultural protocols apply.
Coexisting and mingling religions
Eswatini traditions and beliefs have a number of rites and practices that have made up the traditional religion for centuries. The Swazi culture believes in ancestral intercession, where the religion can be practiced at family or community levels without the services of an ordained church leader. These people include the diviners and herbalists, among others.
“The religious specialists are popular because they help explain the causes of unfortunate events. By traditional Swazi theory of causation, a given event could be caused by many agents, including evil-hearted human beings, evil spirits, the ancestors, or God,” Ndlovu said.
But Christianity in Eswatini has always found its way and been embraced alongside the Swazi traditional religion.
The country’s largest Christian constituency is the indigenous African Zionist movement, representing roughly 40% of believers. Zion beliefs are known for healing practices, prophetic leadership, uniforms, music and strong community identity.
“Forms of Swazi Traditional Religion like divination, herbal healing and environmental and ancestral spirit veneration also make up this religious landscape,” said Sonene Nyawo, a senior lecturer in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Eswatini
In practice, it is reported that some EmaSwati (Swazi people) belonging to these churches appeared to have more faith in the ancestors and the diviners than in Christian faith.
Some Pentecostal churches insist that their doctrine is grounded in the faith of Christ. Bongani Nxumalo, a member of the United Pentecostal Church in Mbabane, said they believe in the guidance of the Holy Spirit and prophecies that are always expected to align with the teachings of the Bible.
“Prophecy forms part of the spiritual life of the church through prayer meetings, worship services, and pastoral ministry,” he said. “Members are encouraged to seek God through prayer, fasting, and holiness.”
No official state religion
Nxumalo said Eswatini is rich in culture, and EmaSwati (Swazis) are raised to love and embrace their culture. The church recognizes that African communities have rich cultural traditions and a strong awareness of spirituality. However, most Pentecostal churches in Eswatini place the Bible as the final authority in matters of faith and practice.
Some cultural values, such as respect for elders, community support, family unity, and moral discipline, are appreciated because they are consistent with Christian teachings.
As Christianity continues to spread, the country has established organizations to which churches affiliate for coordination. The main bodies are the Council of Swaziland (Eswatini) Churches, Eswatini Conference of Churches and the League of African Churches in Eswatini.
Efforts to establish the Christian faith as the official faith of the kingdom failed when the monarchy rejected the constitutional clause to that effect. According to the Swazi law, Eswatini has no official religion, but most of the practices are influenced by Christianity. The government’s policy to respect freedom of religion in practice is embodied in the Swazi constitution.
The monarchy has played a crucial role in facilitating the co-existence and complementary relations between the Swazi religion and churches. Such platforms include the annual royal rituals in which churches are invited and participate in various activities and rites, alongside the Swazi indigenous practices.
Calvin Manika is an award-winning international journalist based in Zimbabwe.