Makers and Shapers Profile

Royal House of Dlamini

Family

Fl. 1745 - present

[Source - Chloe Rushovich for FHYA, 2017, using the Government of the Kingdom of Swaziland website: The Swazi people are descendants from the Bantu people, who originated in Cameroon. The Bantu-Swazi travelled from Eastern Africa through to what is now the Kingdom of Swaziland, led by King Dlamini I as well as by King Ngwane III, who ruled from 1745 to 1780, and who is seen by many as the first king of modern Swaziland. The Kingdom of Swaziland was decolonized and became independent in 1968, with King Sobhuza II as leader. The Dlamini dynasty still rule Swaziland today. The royal family is comprised of the king, the queen mother, the king's wives, the king's children, the king's siblings and half-siblings and their families. Under the direction of King Sobhuza II, the Royal House of Dlamini recorded a series of interviews focusing on the history of Swaziland. These interviews were undertaken by Isaac Dlamini, the official royal tape-recordist and a long serving royal retainer who was based at Nkanini. Maboya Fakudze, a noted authority on the history of Swaziland, and Mahlaba, a son of Sobhuza and a well-known imbongi, also participated in this interview process.]