Please wait. Contacting image service... loading

Article text

SWAZI WAR
DANCE FOR
ROYAL FAMILY
LONDON, March 26.—Crouching
behind hide-covered shields and
swaying In unison to their own
chanting mingled with a ceremonial
whistle of greeting, 8,000 Swazi
warriors, flourishing their assegais,
advanced slowly in a huge semi
circle towards the Royal family as
they performed their ancient battle
dance on a tree-fringed plateau out
side Goegegum, reports the Reuters
special representative from Swazi
Europeans present were fascin
ated by the precision with which the
warriors, . in black and white
plumed headdresses, executed the
dance, which is only performed on
great occasions.
The King thanked the Swazis for
their demonstration of loyalty to the
Crown. “I shall never forget the
willing service and sacrifice of sol
diers of small territories during the
war/’ ho said.
Their bearded paramount 'chief.
Sobhtiz, accompanied the High Com
missioner (Sir Evely Bearing) and
greeted the King and Queen at the
border. . .
The Swazi regiments had slept at
their camp fires all night after a
strenuous rehearsal of the war dance
yesterday.
When the Royal, party left the
train at Moolman on their arrival in
Swaziland, rain fell for the first
time since the tour began. i
’This was a good omen, as the
King and Queen, like the Swazi
queen mother, “the she elephant”
would be . attributed with the pos
session of rainmaking “medicine.”
$