The King Chooses: The annual Virgin Parade in Swaziland

Swaziland, a miniature state in southern Africa, remains one of the few countries in the world where the monarch enjoys unlimited power. King Mswati III has ruled since the mid-80s, but he is only 49 years old, and there is still a lot of strength. At the moment, he has 13 official wives, and their ranks are constantly replenished. Choosing a new wife is a key event of the annual Reed Festival. Thousands of virgins from all over the country come to the royal palace in the hope of being chosen as a spouse and escape from poverty.

(11 photos in total)

Source: Kulturologia

The Reed Festival, or, as it is also called, the Feast of Purity, in Swaziland is comparable in popularity with our New Year. Almost all the virgins of the country gather in makeshift camps near the royal residence. And they don't get too upset when the choice doesn't fall on them. After all, all the participants of the holiday are fed for a whole week at the expense of the state treasury. By African standards, this is a very generous action.

What kind of strange name is "Reed Festival"? The fact is that for several days the girls have been collecting reeds for the fence that surrounds the king. This fence is the most important status of the government. But not too durable, so every year they break it down and build a new one.

Actually, behind the newly built fence, the king makes his choice. How this happens is the strictest secret. And onlookers gather at the palace to watch the parade of virgins. The spectacle, I must say, is impressive: a huge crowd of half-naked women, diligently dancing, is moving in rows towards the stadium, from where Mswati III is looking at them.

By the way, the concept of virginity in Swaziland is interpreted very specifically. It is legally prohibited to start sexual activity before marriage or before the age of 21. If a man unlawfully deprives a girl of her innocence, he is fined one cow or $170. However, this does not prevent the restoration of virginity. It's not about surgery, of course. It is enough for a girl to come to the priest, express her readiness for further abstinence, listen to a short gospel — that's all, in fact. So God knows how many real virgins there are among the applicants.

At the end of the performance, the whole crowd is launched into the territory of the palace (yes, it is so big). There, the king chooses a new spouse according to a method known to him. Or he doesn't choose if no one likes him. He gave the last chosen one, Phindila Nkambula, a new BMW X6 and built a separate palace for her.