... SA brewers also affecting local product
– Though the Buganu Ceremony is not a national event in SA, in the heart of Eswatini, the Buganu Ceremony is greeted with the same fervour as the arrival of spring.
“A mere presence of rate is a health hazard. This government doesn’t care about the workers and their welfare,” he said.
MBABANE
Each year, thousands of emaSwati eagerly anticipate the harvest of the marula fruit, an event marked by cultural ceremony and celebration. The ritualistic festivities commence at Buhleni in the Hhohho Region, before shifting to the Hlane Royal Residences in Lubombo, bringing together a community united by tradition and a shared love for the buganu fruit.
However, local brewers, particularly in northern Hhohho admitted that their South African (SA) counterparts were producing more of the drink as they had more trees. Tfobhi Metfula, who also brews the traditional drink noted that in the past, South Africans would enter the country to enjoy the brew because of the restrictions at the time. Metfula said this time, dwellers of the neighbouring country made their own brew. “Their fruit is as large as guavas”, stated Metfula.
Meanwhile, it is not only local emaSwati who arrive to celebrate
Masangane also said the fact that rats ate medication was a sign of poor management and drug storage. the Buganu Ceremony, but even those living in SA. Thousands of emaSwati who are citizens of that country and are subjects of His Majesty also enter the country to participate in the annual tradition.
The event also attracts tourists from around the world, including some who indulge in the drink but also to get a glimpse of Their Majesties who are usually adorned in traditional regalia. Meanwhile, while the marula fruit is most commonly associated with the alcoholic beverage produced from its fermented tinganu fruit, it is a versatile commodity. Beyond the intoxicating brew, the fruit serves as a food source, with numerous
“Government is responsible in ensuring that the whole supply chain is tightly monitored to avoid such,” he said. other products derived from it. Other products manufactured from the fruit or its seeds include juice, beer, wine, oils, soaps and even charcoal, all from the fruit or its parts.
The marula fruit is not simply picked from the tree like it is done for oranges, mangos or apples. It is collected from the ground, a testament to nature’s own ripening process. Falling naturally from the tree, the fruit continues to ripen until it reaches the desired stage. The women who brew the popular drink have this intimate knowledge of the fruit and its cycle as it is crucial to the creation of the brew.