ILLEGAL TO POSSESS INCWALA SONGS

A Swaziland man has been arrested for selling DVDs that include songs from the Incwala ceremony.

Timothy Sibandze, who is also a member of the banned people’s United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO), is accused of ‘breaching cultural rules’.

Sibandze, who sells DVDs for a living, was also alleged to have copies of a DVD which included Sipho Jele, the man who died in state custody in 2010 after being arrested for wearing a PUDEMO T-shirt.

The Times of Swaziland reported today (2 December 2011) that Sibandze also had DVDs of an ‘international documentary which prominently features Princess Sikhanyiso’. Once again the Times seems to be misleading its readers as this DVD is almost certainly the documentary Without The King, which includes testimony from a number of people in Swaziland who want to see King Mswati III’s reign as the last absolute monarch in sub-Saharan Africa come to an end.

Sibandze, described by the Times as a ‘former Political Commissar’ of PUDEMO, was taken to Lobamba and then moved to the regional police headquarters.

There are fears that Sibandze may have been targeted by police as no other people selling DVDs (and there are many on the streets in towns all over Swaziland) were arrested.

The Times reported he was released and told to report back to police with his parents and his chief, leading to speculation that he might face banishment from his home if convicted of the crime.

Police Public Relations Officer Superintendent Wendy Hleta told the Times the DVDs contained songs which were only supposed to be sung and broadcast during certain periods of the Incwala ceremony.

The Incwala ceremony is taking place in Swaziland at present and King Mswati is at the centre of most of its rituals. Incwala is shrouded in secrecy and although called a ‘national prayer’ by its traditionalist supporters, it has been described as ‘unGodly’ and ‘unChristian’ by some religious leaders.

Incwala has received a ‘bad press’ this week. Yesterday, it was reported that a woman police officer had been suspended from her job and faces exile from her community after she prophesised the end of Incwala while she was ‘speaking in tongues’ at a prayer meeting. It is also reported she uttered words against the king while in her trance.

Earlier this week, a report circulated on the Internet from a witness to past Incwala ceremonies that detailed examples of witchcraft and bestiality involving King Mswati.

See also

NOW, EVEN HOLY SPIRIT IS SEDITIOUS

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/12/now-even-holy-spirit-is-seditious.html

SWAZI KING AND BESTIALITY RITUAL

http://swazimedia.blogspot.com/2011/11/swazi-king-and-bestiality-ritual.html

SWAZI KING GAVE MEDAL TO GADAFFI

This picture shows King Mswati III of Swaziland pinning a medal on Muammar Gadaffi, president of Libya.

It is a screen grab from the opening titles of the documentary Without The King. Does anyone know when this took place and what was the medal the king gave to Gadaffi?

The documentary was released in 2007, but the medal-giving could have been any time before that.

Any information gratefully received swazimedia@yahoo.com

SUPPORT FOR FREE SWAZILAND GROWS

Support for democracy in Swaziland is spreading throughout the world.

This week comes news that a new campaign group has been set up in Finland to raise awareness of the problems in Swaziland and to develop solidarity work in liaison with the Peoples’ United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) and the Swaziland Solidarity Network.

The formation of the new group came after the documentary Without the King was shown at a private movie theatre in Helsinki.

According to a report posted on the Swaziland Solidarity Network forum, about 50 people attended the event, which was followed by a full discussion on the situation in Swaziland.

The event was organised by the Finnish Peace Committee, Swaziland Solidarity Network and the Finnish non-governmental research and solidarity organization CRASH.

The new group says there are plans to arrange other events to raise the issue of Swaziland, in part to build public awareness and activism on it in Finland, but also to put pressure on Finnish foreign policy decision makers in Finland to boycott the Swazi regime and argue for pressure to be brought on the Mswati dictatorship by the European Union and other intergovernmental forums.

The Finnish group joins other solidarity groups across the world, including those in the United Kingdom, Denmark, Canada, and various parts of Africa.

SWAZI PRINCESS’S RAP LIFESTYLE

Princess Sikhanyiso of Swaziland is trying to forge a career in acting, modelling and rap music.

To this end she has set up a website where – for a fee – people can download her latest recordings.

The princess, aged 21, who likes to be called Pashu, is the eldest daughter of King Mswati III and in the past she has courted controversy for her extravagant lifestyle and ‘rebel’ qualities.

Pashu, who is a student at Biola University, Los Angeles California, US, is also studying acting and modelling with Laimarie Serrano.

Her latest venture is to put some of her songs on the reverbnation website. They are also available on her Facebook site (click here) and at Bebo (click here).

According to her profile on the reverbnation website, ‘Pashu is a talented Swazi rapper who also happens to be a princess.´

It goes on, ‘She is often called a rebel, but nowhere will you find such a patriot.’

I don’t know if Pashu wrote the profile herself or if it was written on her behalf, but until she tells me otherwise I must assume that she agrees with what her profile says.

Her comments about Swaziland will almost certainly cause offence to many of her father’s subjects.

It includes a long critique of the documentary Without The King, in which she featured prominently. The documentary contrasted the lives of the Swazi Royal Family and ordinary people in the kingdom. About 70 percent of the one million population live in abject poverty earning less than one US dollar a day, while King Mswati III has a wealth estimated at 200 million US dollars (about E1.4 billion).

Swaziland has the highest rate of HIV infection in the world and last year 600,000 people relied on international food aid to fend off starvation.

On the reverbnation website, she says Without The King was ‘sponsored by self-dubbed “progressives” in alliance with murderous South African regressives, they sought to create a political instability in the Kingdom.’

She also says, ‘Between late August and early September 2008, because the king’s wives went on an announced trip to Asia before the 40/40 Celebrations marking 40 years of Independence and the King’s Birthday, the opportunists manipulated the Swazis into tolerating their marches [protesting at the celebration].

‘This time; however, criminals from South Africa came in several buses into Swaziland, bringing in bombs and rifles and a hostile spirit that evoked them the passion to physically harm innocent Swazi citizens who chose to abstain from the strike and attempt to work in peace.’

She concludes, ‘Despite zealous efforts of the progressives - through huge sponsorship of media houses - to disdain the monarch for the shortcomings of the Swazi government, the Swazi people remain in love and with increased allegiance for the King, as they see his love for them.’

Meanwhile, there is evidence that the princess may have hired a public relations firm to improve her image. (Her father already has at least two PR firms working for him.)

An Australian website called All News Web, published a report about her rapping career. The website included a professionally taken (and doctored) glamour photograph of the princess. The same photograph also appears on the reverbnation website.

In its report All News Web says of the princess, ‘She is beautiful, talented, intelligent and has carved a successful career for herself in music.’

It goes on, ‘She has become well known in her field and her deep rhythmic voice in demand. She has recorded with some of America’s top rap artists.’

According to the website, ‘Associates of the princess claim that all this frantic activity is not about herself. “She wants to be in a position to make changes, to do something to help the poorer people within her nation, this is what motivates her”, notes one Swazi associate. Indeed Pashu spends much of her time visiting orphanages in her AIDS ravaged homeland. “The children are what drives the princess: to see them live better lives.”

‘What about democracy? “Pashu is so loyal to her father and loves him dearly; she would never challenge his authority despite her rebellious image.” The associate noted “But with the Princess anything is possible, she is such a powerful and strong young woman, who knows what she will achieve in the future. She is not just physically beautiful, she has a beautiful soul”’.

See also

SWAZI PRINCESS TELEVISION SHAME

HOW A SWAZI KING IS MADE

A lot of people in Swaziland believe that God chose King Mswati III to be king.

And because of this divine intervention, the king has special abilities and wisdom. For that reason, his word must be obeyed. Those who speak against the king, speak also against God.

Well that’s the theory. And it is very convenient for those close to the power of the king to allow this falsehood to gather ground in Swaziland. After all, some people might want to criticise a king, but who can dare criticise a God?

Of course King Mswati wasn’t chosen by God. A political group plotting within the ruling elite of Swaziland chose him.

I was reminded of this by the Nation magazine this month (July 2008), which for the second issue running has included extensive coverage of the documentary Without The King. As regular readers to the Nation (and this blog) know the documentary investigated the differences between the lavish lifestyles of the Royal Family and those of ordinary people in Swaziland.

Without the King and the Nation reveal how the present king came to the throne – and the manoeuvrings are positively Shakespearian.

Unlike in many societies that still have monarchs, in Swaziland the eldest son doesn’t simply become king once the reigning monarch dies. The king is chosen ‘by virtue of the rank and character of his mother in accordance with Swazi law and custom’. But the part of Swazi law and custom relating to the selection of a successor to a king is unknown to a majority of ordinary Swazi. It may include the mother to the heir.

The Nation reports, ‘In the documentary, King Mswati III shed some light on how he got to know that he would be the next King of Swaziland.

‘He said then he was about 12 ½ years of age and it was after the demise of his father, King Sobhuza II when the news were broke to him.

‘King Mswati III did not say anything about his mother who was then an ordinary wife to the late king. It was not until the then Supreme Council (Liqoqo) removed the then Queen Regent for the biological mother to the then Crown Prince that she was appointed to office.

‘The act drew reprisals for the Liqoqo members who ousted the then Queen Regent.

‘After the king was crowned, the Liqoqo members were charged with high treason arising from their decision to remove the Queen Regent Dzeliwe. Some were found guilty and sentenced to imprisonment terms as high as 15 years.

‘The king subsequently pardoned them.’

See also
BRAVE SWAZI ‘NATION’ TAKES ON KING

SWAZI ‘KING’ DOCO – DIRECTOR SPEAKS

The documentary about inequalities of life in Swaziland, Without The King, has been causing controversy in the kingdom ever since pirated DVD copies began circulating earlier this year.

The documentary features King Mswati III, his first daughter ‘Pashu’ and ordinary poor people in Swaziland. It contrasts the rich in Swaziland (exemplified by the king who has several palaces) and poor people (who don’t know where their next meal is coming from).

Some people in Swaziland have questioned the motives of the director in making the documentary, in which its director Michael Skolnik is thought to have had unprecedented access to the king. It turns out that this may not have been quite the case.

In an conversation with Noah Forrest on the Movie City News website (21 May 2008), Skolnik gives some background to how the documentary was made.

(At the end of this post there is also news about another review of the documentary – this one made from within Swaziland.)

Here is an extract from the Skolnik interview.

Noah Forrest: To start with, can you tell us a little bit about how you got the idea for this film? Where was your motivation to make a film about Swaziland?

Michael Skolnik: In 1997, as a college Sophomore at UCLA, I decided to study Zulu -- had always had an interest of visiting South Africa and figured if I was gonna go there, I should learn the language of the people. My professor turned out to be Swazi and was an advisor to King Mswati III. Over the years, I got the chance to meet the King, and when he learned that I made movies, asked me to make a movie about his life. I happily agreed, as I thought he would make an amazing character in a film.

When I got to Swaziland to film for the first time (I had been there four times previous) -- the access I thought I had to the King was quite different than what I was getting. On day 4, after waiting every night for hours to see the King at one of his many palaces, I ran into his daughter, the Princess, in the parking lot.

I had met her in LA when she was visiting with her father years ago, but now she was a woman. I asked her if we could film her and she agreed. From there, the film began.

NF: How were you able to gain such unbelievable access to King Mswati, his wife and his daughter Pashu?

MS: As I have known the King and his family for many years, the King agreed to give me unprecedented access to their lives. However, when I got to Swaziland for the first time to film, the access was quite different than what had been promised to me.

So, I had to make a number of adjustments the first trip, the biggest being focusing on the Princess' life more, as I had much more access to her daily activities.

NF: I was surprised by how well-spoken and intelligent a lot of the folks in this impoverished nation were. Is the education system any good there or did you just pick the most well-read people you could for interviews?

MS: The education system in Swaziland is good. However, the young people who I interviewed all have various degrees of education. But, even thought some had a lack of formal schooling, passion will go a long way…especially when you are in a fight for your life.

NF: I was fascinated by the Princess (Pashu) and how naïve she was. She seems to disagree with a lot of her father's actions, but still reluctantly defends him. I found her story to be an interesting parable for a lot of people in the world who know of injustices being done but choose to ignore it. Was that your intention?

MS: I am happy that everyone sees Pashu in a different way -- I never really had any intention of showing her as anything but the person she truly is. I think that the film depicts her truthfully and honestly -- someone who is conflicted and struggles to come to terms with some discoveries she is making as a person. That is human and that is something many of us can relate to.

NF: I imagine you might not be welcomed back to Swaziland anytime soon; do you know if any of the royal family has seen the film? If so, what were their reactions to it?

MS: I showed the film to the Princess. I will respect her and not talk too much about her reaction or the conversation we had after the screening. I do not know if any other family members have seen the film -- I hope so.

I have been told that the film has been banned in Swaziland and that anyone in possession of the film can be charged with sedition.


Skolnik is also interviewed in an audio clip on the Toronto Screen Shots website here.

Meanwhile, Arnau van Wyngaard, who has been doing missionary work in Swaziland for more than 23 years, has written a review of Without The King on his own blogsite. One of the points he makes that I have not seen made before is that many groups within Swazi society were not included in the documentary, such as ‘the business people earning good salaries and living a stable life and the traditionalists in the rural areas, staunch supporters of the monarchy and who are mostly subsistence farmers (the people whom I work with mostly in our church.)’.

You can read the full review and the comments from readers it has attracted by clicking here.

See also
SWAZI ‘REVOLUTION’ DOCO ATTACKED