This week I was very fortunate to visit the Royal Kraal at Ntfungeni, far north in Swaziland. The kraal is the outside enclosure made of sticks and reeds, which protects the beehive huts (homes) on the inside from wind, animals and enemies. Swaziland has many royal kraals -- places only inhabited by royal family members (remember the king always has multiple wives, and each needs a place to live) and their guards.In this picture you can see a group of community women who were called by the royal family to come with reeds to repair the kraal. They are sitting under a tree, talking and laughing.
The women you see in the next photo are on their way to the kraal, bringing with them the large reeds (phragmite I believe). We sat under one of these trees with a Royal Guard Member (who was to become my "husband" for the day), and spoke with one of the elders of the community. The reason for the visit was to speak with community leaders about the establishment of an "official" cultural heritage site in Ntfungeni, which you'll see in other pictures. Because of my association to the museum, I have been able to see things most tourists cannot. It is wonderful.
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