Eswatini (which changed its name from Swaziland in 2018) was a 50 minute flight from Johannesburg, South Africa. Eswatini was the original name of the land, but it was not pronounced properly when it was under British Rule, so, they changed their name to Swaziland. Swaziland became independent in 1968, and it was not until the King’s birthday in 2018 that it was changed back by the king because “enough is enough.” Eswatini is 17,000sqkm (6563sqmi), with a population of 1.3 million people. While Manzini (the town we landed in) is heavily populated because of job opportunities and industry, it is not the capitol. In Manzini is a new airport, which was built in 2015. The King has exclusive use of the old airport. It was interesting to learn that Eswatini relies on South Africa and Mozambique for electricity.
King Eswatini III 
Prime Minister
The King of Eswatini is a figure head, and the people choose their own government, including a Prime Minister, who will defer to the people to sort out problems unless they need the King to intervene. However, they receive endorsement from the King on various issues. The current king has 15 wives and 42 children, and none of the children of any of the wives interact with or even know each other. The former king had 70 wives and 272 children. Kings have so many wives to ensure that there is one heir to whom he can pass down the monarchy. Whichever of his children becomes king, that child’s mother is then the Queen Mother. The current king has lost 2 wives because they ran away to other countries due to not being able see him very often (it could be months or years between visits), and two others have passed away. He keeps several domiciles (palaces), and each wife has her own. However, all of the big events take place in the main palace.
Village with “Executioner rock” in background 
Mbuluzi (our village guide) 
Tradiitional Village Hut (with Aloe plant in front)
We stayed at a Cultural Village in the Mantenga Natural Reserve. Our guide for the day shared a wealth of information about village life in the Kingdom. 60% of the population is Christian, and within the village, the men and women sleep separately because they talk about different things. Even during the day, they eat separately. In fact, men walk and stay closer to the areas where the cows are kept, and the women walk and stay closer to the kitchen area. In addition, heads and feet of the cows and goats used to be cooked by men and boys only. Within Eswatini villages, men can have as many wives as they want, as long as they have enough money and resources to support those wives. They are expected to give 17 cows to the family of the woman that they want to marry (if she is a virgin) to show appreciation to the family. If the woman is not a virgin, then the man will negotiate the number of cows for the family. Cows in a home represent wealth. They used to keep goats or chickens for meat. A goat skin apron is a reflection for a woman of being married, in lieu of a ring. Unmarried women wear grass seed. Old men who have not married will have an arranged marriage.
Houses in the village are made with no cement or nails. They use reeds and termite dust, and cow dung to polish the floor. It takes 5 weeks to make the frame of the huts, and three weeks for the women to put grass on top. Each wife gets three huts, and there are never any leaks in the structures. Each hut has a kitchen, a “beer kitchen” (open bar), and a place for sleeping. They see drinking alcohol as “healthy” because when you drink, you don’t get hungry. Lol! Men are not found in women’s areas during the day, as that is where they teach the girls. Similarly, women are not found in men’s areas during the day, as that is where they teach the boys. The girls live in their own huts from age 6 onward, with older siblings taking care of them until they are ready to get married. Boys marry around 20-21 years old so they can earn money for the cows. Girls marry at age 18. If the husband dies, the woman grieves for 2 years, and then the brother of the dead husband will look after her if he is married. If a woman is struggling to conceive, they use sorghum to figure out if there is a problem, and would send the husband away for 2 months if the seeds do not grow, as they assume the husband is the problem. While he is gone, his brother is brought in to “help his brother,” but they do not tell the husband that this happens. It should be noted that there is no divorce in Swazi culture. If the woman is having an affair or practicing witchcraft, she is taken back to her family. If the man is having an affair, he must pay 5 cows to the parents of the husband’s family of the woman he is having an affair with, and 5 cows to the chief, or he must cross 5 rivers (there aren’t 5 rivers to cross in the area, so, he would find himself outside of Eswatini, which I guess is the point…).
Grandmothers are important in Eswatini, as they solve the problems of the family when those problems are brought to her.
(with Cow skull over the opening)
When people die, they have a burial ground near the village, sometimes within the cow area, which is the area reserved for some of the ancestors. Within the properties, the oldest son is expected to look after his father’s property, and the youngest son would look after his mother’s property.
Education is valued in Eswatini, and the government pays for primary school, while the parents pay for secondary school. The government then gives scholarships for college, and the students have to pay that money back. 70% of people go to college for teaching or nursing at the University of Eswatini, as well as at the local private college.
Healthcare is available, both private and government. The elderly receive free health care, while everyone else pays, though it is not expensive.
With regard to climate, the winters can be 7 to 17 degrees Celsius (44 to 62 degrees Fahrenheit) with wind, with 22-23 degrees Celsius (71 to 73 degrees Fahrenheit) in the southern part of the country. Summer temperatures can get up to 33 degrees Celsius (91 degrees Fahrenheit). It was 30 degrees Celsius (86 degrees Fahrenheit) when we landed.
The people we met were very kind, and we enjoyed seeing a country that is not very often discussed or explored.