The Annual Zulu Reed Dance has been held successfully with over 45,000 Zulu maidens going through virginity testing in their districts in attendance.
The rite started at the Enyokeni palace of King Goodwill Zwelithini on Friday, September 8, aimed at ensuring that the virgins remained pure and safe from unwanted pregnancies or STDs.
Virginity testing (ukuhlolwa kwezintombi ), an ancient Zulu tradition was largely neglected by previous Zulu kings until it was revived by King Zwelithini in 1984.
Before embarking on the annual trek to Nongoma‚ the maidens have to be tested by elderly women days before the pilgrimage to Enyokeni or to the Swazi Queen Mother’s Eludzidzini residence.
The event is a platform for the king to advise the virgins about how to behave properly in order to avoid sexual activities before they are ready to do so.
Those who pass the test take pride in their status and are lauded by their community as izintombi nto‚ pure maidens.
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Here are photos from the ceremony;
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Skillfullulu: That kinda dance to witness, nobody ugly.
Jetting off to South Africa.
FTC for the first time.
ipobarecriminals: no wonder their men are wicked. They don suck their b**bs to hang/slippers
obo389: South Africas sha..
Fresh girls yakpa for there.
No wonder anytime our 9ja peeps enter that country like this, them no dey wan return again
because of wetn their girls dey carry.