Mbabane, Swaziland - With the drought wreaking havoc in KwaZulu-Natal, driving north to Swaziland is not as scenic as it would otherwise be.
Some rivers have dried up, leaving sandy beds between brown patches of once-lush veld.
Some areas are greener than others, especially on the commercial farms where the crops are watered from dams. Once across the Golela border post at Lavumisa, one can smell the devastating impact of the drought. Cattle carcasses lie rotting on the roadsides, some bloated, while others are just skeletal remains. Those that have survived are emaciated.
Grazing is scarce. Boreholes are drying up.
With water rationing on the cards, water from boreholes is what has sustained the Swazi Kingdom’s only registered botanical gardens.
About 200km from the border is the Summerfield Botanical Garden.
Owner, former Member of Parliament, John Carmichael, bought the 100 hectare plot in 1984, with only three trees on the property.
Today, it boasts hundreds of indigenous and exotic plants, creating a tranquil and picturesque setting for the resort hotel.
“The gardens are our pride and joy, they are the centrepiece. The resort complements and is the commercial endeavour to support the garden,” says Carmichael.
The manicured grounds dotted about with litchi trees can be enjoyed while dining on the outdoor terrace, in the pavilion or private gazebos. These are set along a moat which runs through the resort. Carmichael plans to include game to complete the experience.
Game
“This is just a way to further our offering. A lot of people come here from abroad and I thought it would be nice to give them the opportunity to see some game while they are at Summerfield.”
The resort is a popular escape for foreign tourists, with the likes of US singer Pharrell Williams having stayed there. The rooms are airy and light, with classic modern décor which – as with the opulent grand lobby – was the brainchild of Carmichael and his family.
But he believes it is not the grand designs, luxurious accommodation or fine restaurants with vegetables grown on site that make Summerfield a premier tourist destination, but the Swati people.
“In the leisure industry you need kind, respectful and service-minded people. To us Swatis this comes naturally, there is a positivity about us that attracts people,” smiles Carmichael.
Carmichael is a familiar surname in Swaziland. In the early 1900s, the country was declared a British Protectorate until its liberation in 1968. A few families remained in Swaziland settling in the town of Siteki.
“They were allowed to marry Swati women and are considered Swati,” says tour guide Michael Mabaso.
Guides
Mabaso lives in Siteki and is one of the country’s most knowledgeable tour guides. After working as a freelance tour guide for five years, he established Etinyatsi Tours and Safaris in 2009. Although he had a qualification in tourism studies, he wanted to work his way up.
“I realised that I needed to start from the beginning in order to understand the industry operation. I took an introductory course to professional tour guiding in Pretoria. My brother works for Kruger National Park, so when I visit him, we spend time talking about different animals and his experience in the bush.”
He is so passionate about the natural environment that he named his company after his favourite animal, inyatsi, which is buffalo in Swati. It is also the name of the regiment to which he belongs. Like Mabaso, Swaziland is a deeply traditional country which takes pride in cultural practices, but in some parts, it is also a modern metropolis. It is not odd to come across a person in traditional garb at a mall or, as I found, dining at the four-star Las Vegas-style Happy Valley Hotel and Casino in the aptly named town of Ezulwini, (heaven).
The town is also home to what Mabaso describes as the heart of the Swati nation, the Ludzidzini Royal Palace. He speaks about the palace with much excitement as he recently joined thousands of his countrymen for the most sacred of cultural ceremonies, Incwala.
Incwala is commonly known as the first fruits ceremony. This is when the King Mswati III tastes the new harvest.
This is but one aspect of the so-called kingship ceremony held on the fourth day after the full moon nearest the longest day – December 21.
It begins with the king going into seclusion, during which he does not grant public appearances. What follows is a monumental display of dance, song and ritual at the palace, home of the Queen Mother Ntombi Thwala and the first two royal wives.
Reed Dance
The Swati reed dance is also held here in August or September and it is from here that the king addresses the nation in a kraal as was the custom of his father, King Sobhuza II, and his father before him. It is an occasion where the king is surrounded by his regiments, a group of men brought together by the king historically for war. Mabaso, a member of the iNyatsi regiment, joins thousands of others at the Incwala to weed the royal fields by hand.
“I joined the regiment seven years ago. As I grew in the tourism industry, I realised that I needed to have an identity in terms of my nationality. When I was younger I participated in the cutting of the sacred sickle bush that boys do to show their honour and pride in their culture,” beams Mabaso.
Being a part of a regiment brings a sense of pride to a Swati man, who demonstrates physical and mental strength through the gruelling rites of passage. It is a cultural practice and a symbol of the Swati nation says Mabaso, who often has to explain the customs to his mainly European clientele.
“It is our way and it works for us, our culture is just part of the many offerings. Tourists come to Swaziland for leisure and scenic beauty, but it is also a cultural experience. I believe the collective ‘personality’ of the Swati people is our greatest attraction. Whether you are at a lodge, hotel or in the street, you experience Swaziland though the humility of its people.”
So confident is he in the Swazi experience, that he guarantees its authenticity, saying: “It will leave you with life-long memories.”
Daily News