- Title: SOUTH AFRICA: Zulu virgins perform annual reed dance to celebrate purity
- Date: 14th September 2009
- Summary: KWANONGOMA, SOUTH AFRICA (RECENT) (REUTERS) ZULU MAIDENS ARRIVING/CHANTING MAIDEN SINGING MAIDENS ARRIVING / SINGING ZULU WARRIORS WATCHING PERFORMANCE VARIOUS MAIDENS PERFORMING REED DANCE/MARCHING (SOUNDBITE) (Zulu) REED DANCE PARTICIPANT BUHLE TSHABALALA, SAYING: "It is very important for us to preserve our virginity, particularly during the peak of an HIV and AIDS pandemic -- it is very important to stay pure." ZULU MAIDENS MARCHING WITH REEDS (SOUNDBITE) (Zulu) REED DANCE PARTICIPANT BUSI GUMEDE, SAYING: "We are here to celebrate our purity after undergoing virginity tests -- a part of our culture -- something we are very proud of. That's why we are here at the eNyokeni Palace." ZULU MAIDENS MARCHING WITH REEDS (SOUNDBITE) (English) ZULU QUEEN THEMBI, SAYING "Yes, I think we are succeeding because each year when we look at the maidens coming up in their thousands, it gives us hope that the nation is going to survive the HIV and AIDS pandemic." ZULU PRINCESS NQOBA LEADING MAIDENS AS THEY ENTER PALACE ZULU KING GOODWILL ZWELITHINI WATCHING PERFORMANCE ZULU WARRIORS SINGING KING'S PRAISES KING ZWELITHINI RECEIVING REED FROM HIS DAUGHTER PRINCESS NQOBA ZULU WOMEN AT PALACE KNEELING IN DISPLAY OF RESPECT VARIOUS OF MAIDENS SINGING AND DANCING IN CELEBRATION
- Embargoed: 29th September 2009 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: South Africa
- Country: South Africa
- Topics: Arts / Culture / Entertainment / Showbiz,Lifestyle
- Reuters ID: LVA9E4RF0TV20QDH9OLRQFGEKE0P
- Story Text: Thousands of Zulu girls from across South Africa took part in an annual festival in Kwanongoma.
The girls marched to the Zulu king's palace to perform the Umhlanga or Reed Dance, a traditional initiation into womanhood.
In the past custom required the king to select a bride from among the crowd of girls. This is no longer the case in South Africa, unlike, in the adjoining Kingdom of Swaziland.
Traditionally, all the girls taking part in the ceremony, must also undergo a virginity test.
"It is very important for us to preserve our virginity, particularly during the peak of an HIV and AIDS pandemic -- it is very important to stay pure," said Reed Dance Participant Buhle Tshabalala.
"We are here to celebrate our purity after undergoing virginity tests -- a part of our culture -- something we are very proud of. That's why we are here at the eNyokeni Palace," added another dancer, Busi Gumede.
The current Zulu king - Goodwill Zwelithini - revived this ceremony in 1983 after it was stopped during colonial times. His daughter, Princess Thembi Ndlovu, helps lead the procession.
South Africa is struggling with one of the world's highest HIV/Aids infection rates.
Many proponents of virginity testing say the practice is an effective way of fighting the disease because it promotes abstinence.
"I think we are succeeding because each year when we look at the maidens coming up in their thousands, it gives us hope that the nation is going to survive the HIV and AIDS pandemic," Zulu Queen Thembi told Reuters Television.
This year's celebrations were, however, later turned into mourning when two participants were crushed to death during the stampede.
Authorities say investigations are still continuing into circumstances that led to this tragedy and the full report on the dead women and their identities were not available. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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