Matjana Community Preschool

Kaphunga Swaziland

Matjana is a not-for-profit, community preschool in rural Swaziland

Ingadla and Sibhaca-Swazi Dancing at MPS

Written by Michelle Brear

Traditional Swazi dancing was added to the Matjana Preschool Curriculum randomly one day. It was lunchtime. Ncobile had the girls under the tree, arranged in a circle. She started singing and the girls followed suit. One of them moved into the middle of the circle and started doing a dance known in siSwati as Ingadla. Since that day dancing has been a favourite of every MPS girl.

Nikiwe Dlamini performing Ingadla– she put up her a hand with a hopeful smile, removed her funky beanie and showed us how it’s done.

Thanks to Roberston Bales and Tracey Wallace for the photos.

Dancing at the 2007 Graduation

(Click on images to enlarge)

The boys also began dancing. They learnt a traditional boys dance, Sibhaca, under instruction of MPS student Msizi Sibandze. At six years old he was a confident and capable dancer and knew many of the different routines (apparently he learnt to dance practicing with older boys in Kaphunga). The boys also love dancing. It’s a great way for the kids to develop their motor skills, but even more so to express their creativity. These photos express that creativity far better than words.