Umhlanga Festival Swaziland Africa The Umhlanga Reed Dance is a traditional dance and ceremony where up to 40 000 Swazi maidens gather and dance for the Queen Mother. This Swazi cultural event is performed as a tribute to the Royal Family and dates back centuries in time. Taking place over a week, normally the last in August, it is largely private, however its final two public days (normally a Sunday and Monday) are a spectacle that is unrivalled in Africa today. Thousands upon thousands of maidens dress up in brightly coloured attire and sing, dance together as they deliver the reed or umlanga to the Royal Residence. Their enjoyment of this ceremony is quite apparent as they use the opportunity of bonding with girls of similar ages from across the country.
Her Royal Highness Princess Sikhanyiso Chief Maiden Solo Dance, this was during the Eswatini biggest cultural event #Umhlanga. This ceremony is an amazing spectacle and a centuries-old tradition where the Kingdom’s unmarried and childless females present their newly cut reed to the Queen Mother to protect her residence. #reed dance #umhlonyani #umemulo #reeddance ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4e28XSxdFc
51- The Book Of Colossians - Audio King James Version
COLOSSIANS
Paul counters heresies appearing amongst the believers at Colosse. He shows that neither Judaism, nor philosophy, can save; but only commitment to Christ.
The Ecclesia at Colosse When Paul spent three years at Ephesus (Acts 20), the Gospel spread inland to such towns as Laodicea and Colosse. While Paul was a prisoner in Rome, he learned from Epaphroditus (1:7) of prob- lems which had arisen among believers at Colosse. So he sent this Letter via Tychicus and Onesimus (4:7-9) to the “brethren in Christ” (1:2), encouraging them to “continue in the faith, grounded and settled” (1:23) and to beware of “philosophy … after the tradition of men” (2:8).
The main problems at Colosse arose from Judaisers and Gnostics. Paul dis- missed those Jews who were still preoc- cupied with the Law of Moses; with “meat… drink, or in respect of a holyday”, which are done away in Christ (2:16,17). He also warned against being caught up in Greek notions of angel worship (2:18).
The Head of the Body
The Letter underlines the supremacy of the Lord Jesus Christ: there are no other intermediaries between God and man, such as the gnostics had invented. God has made His Son the head of all things, the centre of His purpose (1:16). He is the “head of the body” (the ecclesia) and the first of a new creation (1:18).
We can only be saved through associa- tion with Christ. The process begins with belief and by being “buried with him in baptism” (2:12).
Risen with Christ
Baptized believers must continue to follow Christ closely; they must live the new life in Christ (3:1). This will involve “putting to death” old ideas and ways, and “putting on the new man” (3:8-14).
‘Brethren in Christ’ (which is what the term “Christadelphian” means) are called to heed the instructions given in chs 3 and 4, regarding the new life.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_kUOgVwMD_Q
Dhikr (also Zikr, Zekr, Zikir, Jikir, and variants; Arabic: ذِكْر, romanized: ḏikr [ðɪkr]; plural أذكار aḏkār [ʔaðˈkɑːr], meaning "mentioning")[1]:470 are devotional acts in Islam in which short phrases or prayers are repeatedly recited silently within the mind or aloud. It can be counted on a set of prayer beads (Misbaha مِسْبَحَة) or through fingers of the hand. A person who recites the Dhikr is called a ḏākir ([ˈðaːkɪr] ذاكر). Tasbih (تسبيح) is a form of dhikr that involves the repetitive utterances of short sentences glorifying God. The content of the prayers includes the names of God, or a duʿāʾ (prayer of supplication) taken from the hadith or the Quran.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BekSNrxgOKM
Umhlanga Reed Dance
The Umhlanga Reed Dance is a traditional dance and ceremony where up to 40 000 Swazi maidens gather and dance for the Queen Mother. This Swazi cultural event is performed as a tribute to the Royal Family and dates back centuries in time. Taking place over a week, normally the last in August, it is largely private, however its final two public days (normally a Sunday and Monday) are a spectacle that is unrivalled in Africa today. Thousands upon thousands of maidens dress up in brightly coloured attire and sing, dance together as they deliver the reed or umlanga to the Royal Residence. Their enjoyment of this ceremony is quite apparent as they use the opportunity of bonding with girls of similar ages from across the country.
As the maidens dance, warriors and other spectators often join the dance kugiya or throw money at their feet in appreciation of their skill. The King sometimes makes use of the occasion to publically court a prospective fiancee or Liphovela. This young woman will be given a dominant position amongst the dancing princesses. Unfortunately this particular feature often distorts media coverage of the event, which becomes obsessed with the polygamous nature of traditional Swazi society. However, a traveller lucky enough to witness this event will appreciate its special purpose in bonding the nation, enstalling good morals (virginity is essential for attendance) and allowing rural girls to travel outside of their home areas. It is a massive logistical mission for the Swazi government, with food, water, transport and security concerns growing with each year...but Swaziland without Umhlanga is just not Swaziland.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8mLefhYAYnc
The Zulu Reed Dance
More than 25 000 Zulu virgins gather at the King’s Enyokeni Traditional Residence for this very colourful and meaningful ceremony every September which promotes respect for young women, and preserves the custom of keeping girls as virgins until marriage. In the olden days, the women gathered at the Zulu Reed Ceremony (Umkhosi woMhlanga) and men at the First Fruits Ceremony (Umkhosi wokweshwama).
The Zulu Reed dance is an educational experience and opportunity for young maidens to learn how to behave before the Zulu King .
This is done whilst delivering reed sticks, singing and dancing. Maidens learn and understand the songs while the young princesses lead the virgins. The maidens wear ‘izigege’ and ‘izinculuba’ that show their bottoms. Traditional attire includes beadwork to symbolise African beauty at its best.
At this stage the maidens are taught by senior females how to behave themselves and be proud of their virginity and naked bodies. That allows maidens to expect respect from their suitors who intend approaching them during the ceremony.
The second phase is educating the young maidens ‘amatshitshi’ by their older sisters ‘amaqhikiza’ on how to behave in married life. Young maidens are encouraged not to argue or respond immediately but to wish the suitor well on his journey back.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wy-7DAt9YLE
This is Eswatini’s (Swaziland’s) best known cultural event, and has a more open feel than the Incwala. In this eight-day ceremony, young girls cut reeds, present them to the Queen Mother (Indlovukazi) – ostensibly to repair the windbreak around her royal residence – and then dance in celebration. Up to 40,000 girls take part, dressed up in brightly coloured attired – making it one of the biggest and most spectacular cultural events in Africa.
The proper festivities kick off on day six, when dancing gets under way in the afternoon. Each group drops their reeds outside the Queen Mother’s quarters then moves to the main arena, where they dance and sing their songs. The dancing continues on day seven, when the king is present. This is the main day that most visitors attend. Each regiment dances before him in turn.
Little can prepare you for the sheer scale of the pageantry, with column upon column of girls advancing like vast ululating centipedes across the parade grounds of Ludzidzini, each dissolving in turn into the pulsating mass of bodies around the royal kraal. Up close, it’s an almost overwhelming immersion in noise and colour, as the girls stamp, sing and sway in step, anklets rattling, naked flesh and dazzling costume blurring into a living, chanting kaleidoscope. The warrior escorts, adorned with cow tails and clutching knob-stick and shield, are sternly intent on their duties and seem contemptuous of tourists, but the girls are all smiles. It’s Eswatini’s biggest holiday and, after days of tramping the hillsides, cutting reeds and camping out, they’re determined to party.
Today the Umhlanga is as well attended as ever. Indeed cultural historians marvel at how its ever-increasing popularity in Eswatini defies the apparent decline of traditional culture elsewhere. It offers the visitor a unique experience. There are no special visitor arrangements – except for a special grandstand to accommodate visiting dignitaries – but simply turn up at Ludzidizini and follow the crowds (Day 7 is the main day). Police will direct you where to go, and where to park.
The event takes place around the last week of August / first week of September in the Lobamba area, next to the Ezulwini Valley. The dates for the 2019 Umhlanga Reed Dance have now been confirmed. The festival will start on Tuesday 27th August, with day 7 (main day) falling on Monday 2nd September.
Tourists visiting the annual Reed Dance are allowed to take photographs on Days 6 and 7 (main day) – as the maidens walk to deliver the reeds to the Royal Residence, and then as they dance in the main arena. Photography at other times is restricted to accredited members of the media, who can check the Media Accreditation section on this page for further information.
Reed D
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oBRocpLsMC4
32 - The Book Of Jonah - Audio King James Version
JONAH
The account of how Jonah tried to escape from preaching God’s word to Nineveh, and how God’s Word prevailed!
Jonah’s Mission
The prophet Jonah was probably the one mentioned in 2 Kings 14:25, who preached in Israel during the reign of Jeroboam II.
Israel’s enemy at the time was the great Assyrian power from the north-east, with its capital at Nineveh. When God told Jonah to go and warn the Ninevites of coming judgement, he tried to escape by boarding a ship at Joppa, to flee to the far west (1:3). However, a storm at sea prevented his escape. Thrown into the deeped by a great ad prepared. was saved by atery grave 2:10).
The Ninevites Repent
Jonah was again instructed to go and warn the Gentiles at Nineveh (3:2). The people of that great city (of 120,000 plus) repented when they heard the message from the ‘risen’ prophet. So God too ‘repented’ (ie altered His intention to pun- ish Nineveh) (3:10).
Jonah’s Reaction
The prophet’s human reaction was to be displeased: he was angry that the people of Nineveh were to be spared, after all, for God had pity on them when they repented (4:11). An incident with a gourd plant, under which was shading Jonah from the sun, is used to show how God’s pity for Nineveh contrasts with the prophet’s impatience.
Jesus—Greater than Jonah Some 800 years later, the one “greater than Jonah”—Jesus of Nazareth—preached to the people of Israel. But they put him to death!
Jesus had said, however, that just as Jonah was raised from his ‘grave’ after three days, so he too would be raised! After his resurrection, the message Jesus had preached was to be extended to all nations (Mark 16:15,16). Those who would repent, believe and be baptized would be spared by God from eternal death. That message is still true for us today, no matter in what part of the world we live!
Credits: http://scourby.com by Alexander Scourby narration of the King James. Litchfield Associates
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tg3tSj9Tih8