History of “theatre” in Swaziland


Theatre has been in Swaziland for a long time. It started out historically as cultural forms of storytelling through theatrical dance, including Sibhaca, Ummiso, Lutsango and others.

Sibhaca dancing is very vigorous and is performed by teams of men throughout Swaziland. It involves the stomping of feet in unison to rhythmic chants and traditional music while the men wear colorful quilts and decorate their legs with mohair implements.

Ummiso is a Swazi traditional dance performed by young unmarried girls. It is a form of play, celebration of beauty, revelling in youth and sisterhood, and a playful teasing of and competition with the men. It is also in celebration of the King and of the abundance of the fruits of the land. This tradition is rooted in the grand Swazi tradition of Umhlanga (the reed dance).

Lutsango is a dance performed by older and married Swazi women, more demure but more elegant.

Then,during colonial times, theatre in Swaziland was driven by a strong need for entertainment as well as a strong literary tradition. Colonial theatre was normally performed by expats who needed a pastime or had a sense of homesickness during their temporary stay in the country. Theatre then developed into a more modern format, but very little of it is known outside of Swaziland since the plays are published in siSwati, the country’s official language.

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MANIFESTATION OF DRAMA AND THEATRE IN SWAZILANDHISTORICAL INSIGHT INTO DRAMA IN SWAZILAND
Dieter Aab
Director, Swaziland Theatre Technical Services
1. HISTORICAL SCOPE
Performing Arts in Swaziland is clearly divided into 2 streams:
SWAZI CULTURAL FORMS
a) These include Sibhaca, Ummiso, etc. Being cultural, this form fulfilled more than just entertainment need but a ritual one too. This form is marked by a very strong element of audience participation. This includes ululating, clapping, singing, dancing (call and response*)
b) Traditional Music as entertainment
c) Diviners/Tangoma: These would use dramatic effect to enhance diagnosis of patients.
2. COLONIAL THEATRE
 
i) It was driven by a strong need for entertainment
ii) It depended on a strong literary tradition
performed by the expatriates who were in Swaziland on a temporary basis and found themselves in need of a pastime or as a means of coping with homesickness.
  • The performances were not fully integrated into the Swazi environment because they were depicting the European way of life. It was totally divorced from its environment.
  • Regular performances of school textbooks being of great educational benefit.
  • Performances had to be paid for
  • Restricted mostly to the expatriate population
  • Swazis were not encouraged to attend performances nor did they see the need to spend money on “mhlungu’s” (white man’s) entertainment
  • Led to the formation of Swaziland Theatre Club, which was devoted to the performing arts and owns the only dedicated performing arts venue in Swaziland
  • This theatre, seating about 175 people was designed in the early 1960s by an architect, Mr. Francis Green, and built by club members from simple materials such as gumploes and asbestos sheeting
  • e.g., minstrels on Makhoyane

Sources:

  • https://whatiskirbydoing.com/2017/06/19/monday-in-a-picture-ummiso-and-sabaca-nsfw/
  • https://prezi.com/umcwumvtwcwk/theatre-of-swaziland-and-south-africa/
  • Ogunleye, Foluke (ed.) (2005) Theatre in Swaziland: The Past, the Present and the Future. Kwaluseni, Swaziland: Department of African Languages and Literature, University of Swaziland.

* – added by me