... regiment renders splendid performance
HLANE – Thousands of emaSwati women known as Lutsango regiment yesterday rendered a splendid performance during the last leg of the Marula Ceremony.
This took place after the high temperatures of the Lowveld had lowered.
Clad in their red kangas, the regiment entered the arena in different songs before they formed a pattern for the main songs of the event.
The regiment captured the audience with the song ‘Ngwenyama uliphetse live lakho Mswati, uliphetse.’ Some of the spectators sang the King’s praises as the lead singer seemed to add more seemingly unrehearsed but favoured praise into the song. The lead singer would say ‘ labhodla libhubesi, sabhodla silwane’ during the course of the performance.
Eswatini is expected to partake in the national elections through which a new government would be formed. As a result, the regiment encouraged the nation through one of their songs to participate in the upcoming elections. They also pleaded with the nation to elect people with integrity. The lyrics of the song went; ‘khetsa locotfo lonyaka, ngete ngasala lonyaka nasakha live.’
The song was composed after His Majesty King Mswati III and the Queen Mother, among other sectors of society, had called upon the election of women into Parliament, from the constituency level. Eswatini committed herself in ensuring that women form at least 30 per cent in Parliament. However, women had never met the percentage resulting the country opting for the election of Regional Women MPs. It is common cause that traditional regiment be it of warriors, imbali or lutsango, all convey messages, criticise, condemn or appreciate something through songs on topical or critical issues.
When the regiment sang the popular song titled ‘Njiloni, those in attendance danced along with Their Majesties. Among the attendees were ambassadors representing their countries in Eswatini and individual tourists who came through the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs.
Some Lutsango in attendance came from different parts of South Africa and Mozambique.
The event ended on a high note as the regiment shared the arena in their special dance known as kutsamba. Guests were also afforded an opportunity to showcase their dance skills.
These included Lutsango from Mozambique, Gauteng, Phongola, Mekemeke, Tjejuba and Elundzi to name a few.