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By Thobeka Ngema 
20h ago
Durban – ZULU maidens will not descend on KwaNongoma, the Royal Palace of eNyokeni, by the thousands for the annual umkhosi womhlanga (cane dance) this weekend due to national lockdown regulations and efforts to slow the spread of the pandemic of Covid-19.
Instead, only 30 maidens will attend the ceremony.
King Goodwill Zwelithini had asked the provincial Department of Arts and Culture to identify 30 maidens who had undergone the process of getting married and would attend the ceremony one last time.
The king also asked the department to work with oNomehlo (guardian maidens) in the process of identifying the 30 maidens who would represent the thousands who did not attend this year.
The cane dance will focus on gender violence and femicide. Instead of presenting Zwelithini with rushes, the maidens, who will be led as usual by Princess Cebolenkosi Zulu, will present the king with banners and messages denouncing gender-based violence.
A joint statement issued by the Royal Zulu House and the Department of Art and Culture stated that all the maidens were expected to observe the day in their homes due to the closure.
Zwelithini’s keynote address will be broadcast live on various media platforms, including social media on Saturday.
The Cane Dance also coincides with the start of Heritage Month and will highlight the fight against GBV, promote moral regeneration, and offer an encouraging voice to the maidens.
The cane dance can be seen on @artskzn from 11 a.m. M.
Daily News
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