Is it just me but an unspoken rule of travel is to avoid heated political debates. After all, isn't the goal to relax and maybe bond, not spark heated arguments that could ruin the vybz right? Well, our most recent adventure took us on a fascinating detour to the enchanting Kingdom of Eswatini and this compact nation welcomed us with open arms and offered a rich tapestry of cultural experiences, breathtaking landscapes, and absolute warmth from its people, as well as some deep and fascinating conversations!
I mean, I really enjoyed Eswatini, from the children and parents waving eagerly on their very early morning walks to school through vibrant cultural villages, to learning about traditional family life with a local Manzini tribe (which resulted in one of my fav vacay memories, which was the opportunity to dance alongside formidable tribeswomen) ...Eswatini was quite captivating and I highly recommend a visit!
I did not know until we travelled to this country, (formerly known as Swaziland) that a key aspect of Swazi traditional family custom is the concept of a patriarchal homestead. Yes, male heads act as the central authority and are encouraged to take wives (yes, wives - plural), and the King himself has multiple, rumours are 15! As long as a man has the necessary financial standing (gauged by livestock, aka: cows) and I suspect a granite level state of mind ... he may take, ney, is positively encouraged, to take a number of wives! The king’s father was rumoured to have 70 wives! It was one way to the unite clans.
The catch? He must also provide for each wife, traditionally this was with three homesteads each (I loved the beehive style huts (which are completely mobile by the way); "Why three I asked?" One for cooking, one for sleeping and one for ... making beer! Three homesteads per wife!
It was fascinating talking to the tribe, as elsewhere in the world polygamy can be quite the unspoken topic! However, the tribal homesteads encouraged us to ask all the fascinating questions, and we learned so much about some intriguing customs where gender division is reflected in everything from men entering first (to the right, then women to the left), sleeping arrangements reflecting the same tradition, and then there is the night-time 'secret (!) knocks on wood' along with the agreed upon age at which the children move out of sleeping in the parental (aka. mother's) hut, which for future reference is when their arm can reach over their head and touch their opposite ear!
So, as we sat, under the stars at night, enveloped in a smell I can only describe as "impala outdoorsy." My inner monologue couldn't have been happier even if I did smell like a booma. The quintessential outdoor setting, the crackling communal campfire with strangers, eventually (niceties all done) led to the sharing of some tasty geopolitical stories. For, Eswatini stimulated so much conversation; health, gender, politics, security, economy, education, borders, freedoms, monarchy and social issues, it was all on the table here! For Eswatini was an unexpected surprise, offering a unique glimpse into Swazi traditions through the eyes of both visitors and locals. Swazi locals spoke in hushed tones on the growing discontent around the monarchy and political/economic situation in Eswatini. You see Eswatini is Africa's last absolute monarchy and the king holds authority over all branches of government. Infact, political parties have been banned for as long as I have lived (yup...1973!) Imagine that, the monarchy really has a strong hold! But...I would add that from what I saw and heard, Eswatini is a country in transition. While patriarchal norms remain strong especially in rural areas, urbanisation and education are shifting expectations. Polygamy while legal, is apparently losing popularity due to the financing (lobola aka: brides price). More women are pursuing careers, taking leadership roles, and challenging the old ways, while men hold most public authority, today, as was the case at our abode, we found a Swazi woman running the accommodation and a man preparing the meal for visitors, it signs that change is in the air.
Sitting around the campfire at night and talking geopolitics I found myself repeatedly thinking how fortunate I am, the place of my birth on this earth, my citizenship, access to health and education, my ability to make my own decisions, to be able to work and earn a living that affords me travel, freedom and glorious adventures with my amazing life partner. Gratitude in abundance!
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