incwala

framed|right|Swazi warriors dancing incwala

Incwala () is the main ritual of kingship in the Kingdom of Eswatini. This is a national event that takes place during the summer solstice. The main participant in incwala is the King of Eswatini; when there is no king there is no incwala. Incwala takes place over a period of time of about a month, starting with the small incwala, incwala lencane, and culminating in the big incwala, incwala lenkhulu. A number of activities - such as lusekwane, kuhlamahlama, and umdvutjulwa - mark the key events of this age old tradition. Unlike Ummemo which is convened by local chiefs, Incwala and Umhlanga are national events and are convened under the authority of the King and the Queen Mother.