Times Of Swaziland: INCWALA CEREMONY A SUCCESS DESPITE COVID-19 ERA INCWALA CEREMONY A SUCCESS DESPITE COVID-19 ERA ================================================================================ BY SIBUSISO SHANGE on 03/01/2021 00:10:00 LUDZIDZINI – EmaSwati yesterday successfully celebrated the annual Incwala Ceremony despite the striking COVID-19 pandemic. The Incwala Ceremony is a unique culture for emaSwati, where the nation comes together and celebrates the first fruit of harvest inside the Ludzidzini Cattle Byre. A cattle byre is considered a sacred place for emaSwati. While gathered in the sacred place, the nation thanked God and the ancestors for all the blessings including rains from which the nation gets food. They also thanked God for the prevailing peace and stability since Eswatini got its independence from Britain on September 6, 1968. ceremony The unique and significant culture for the nation has over the years attracted the whole world into participating in the annual ceremony. However, this time around, thousands of people across the globe were restricted to join emaSwati due to COVID-19, which has killed millions of people since it was discovered in Wuhan, China in November, 2019. Noted was that there were very few tourists in attendance since the commencement of the event, which started with the Little Incwala on December 14, 2020. Only two tourists from Pakistan were spotted at the event yesterday. In a bid to avoid the spread of the virus during the course of the event, Their Majesties initiated a mass testing for all attendees to ensure safety. Only those who tested negative for the virus were allowed entry in the area. Those who tested positive for virus were advised on health precautions or taken to health facilities. The Ministry of Health took full charge on the health aspect at the event. Their mandate was among other things to determine the number of people inside the Cattle Byre. Their Majesties had stated prior that if attendees exceeded the required number, some people would have to dance outside the Cattle Byre. However, the attendees did not exceed the numbers, resulting in the dance being continued inside the Cattle Byre. This years’ event was celebrated under cold weather conditions after showers which lasted for a few hours. However, the weather was calm for a few hours as God continued to bless the nation in the afternoon. Noted was that there has been plenty rainfall since the commencement of the event.