African princess defies her country’s customs for doing things women “can’t”

A princess who loves her country’s traditions, but snubs some she doesn’t agree with. Daughter of one of the last absolute monarchs in the world, Sikhanyiso Dlamini shakes the structures of her homeland for being a rapper and a solo mother, in addition to wearing clothes considered “inappropriate” by many people in her homeland.

O awesome.club tells the story of this unusual princess, who has a very strong personality. Keep reading and see why it’s such a buzz among the people of the Kingdom of Eswatini.

Sikhanyiso Dlamini was born in 1987, the daughter of Queen LaMbikiza and King Mswati III, sovereigns of the Kingdom of Eswatini, formerly Swaziland. This small country in southern Africa stands out for its natural beauty and preserved culture, with traditional rituals and absolute monarchy, the last in Africa and one of the few in the world.

There, the government is in the hands of the king and the queen mother, Ntfombi. He has had 15 wives and at least 25 children, Sikhanyiso being the eldest and her mother being his wife from the third marriage.

Princess Sikhanyiso studied at a private high school in Great Britain. Afterwards, she attended acting classes at a university in California, USA. Finally, she graduated in Digital Communication at the University of Sydney, Australia.

It was during her time abroad that the princess began to ignore or go against her country’s customs. Most likely, the western lifestyle made her question some values.

This slightly more “rebellious” attitude was probably influenced by her mother, who opposed the custom that prevents queens from studying and graduated in Law. During her school years, the princess began to be criticized for her freer style, which included wearing miniskirts and jeans, which is prohibited for women in Eswatini.

When she was 17, Sikhanyiso was reprimanded for throwing a party with loud music at the Queen Mother’s residence. One detail, this happened on the same day as the important Umhlanga ceremony, where she was supposed to be present.

The princess made another breakthrough in the confines of her society and invested in a career in rap, using the name Pashu. She says that the inspiration for her songs comes from the traditions of Eswatini and has already released two albums: Abeze Kim and Hail Your Majesty (see video here). The latter in honor of her father, showing that, despite criticizing certain aspects, she supports her family.

The princess also spearheads several projects that support girls and their homeland. She holds the traditional position of leader of the group of maidens, or Imbali YemaSwati, as well as patron of the Imbali Foundation, which focuses on the health, education and spirituality of these young women. In addition to being Miss Deaf Africa, on behalf of the Hearing Impaired Association, and Miss Swaziland Tourism.

Princess Sikhanyiso also goes through “perrengues” in her love life, as her father makes her relationships difficult. So it was with Mzwakhe Phiri, a former basketball player who was struggling to collect 50 cows in order to pay down a dowry of 300 and marry his beloved, as per Swatini customs. As he couldn’t, the king made him move to keep him away from the princess.

Years later, she became pregnant as a result of a new relationship, which generated criticism for not being married yet. The princess created controversy again by ignoring the trials and throwing a baby shower to announce the prince’s arrival. Thus, Phikolwezwe Kukhanya Pasasika Elihu Dlamini or simply Phiko was born on April 10, 2020.

After her maternity leave, the Princess returned to her duties as Minister of Information and Communication Technology and as a member of the board of directors of MTN Eswatini, the country’s leading telephone operator. Thus, she continues to seek resources for the kingdom, defending the local culture and breaking some rules, when necessary.

So what do you think of her actions? Do you know more modern princesses? Leave your comment!