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CNN World Report

Swaziland's King and the Custom of Polygamy

Aired April 08, 2001 - 14:32   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
ASIEH NAMDAR, CNN ANCHOR: One of the most universal and fundamental social customs in the world is marriage. Most countries allow men and women to have only one spouse at a time. But in some places, polygamy still flourishes.

In the tiny African country of Swaziland, a young king is firmly maintaining the national identity by continuing all its long standing customs. South African Broadcasting Corporation traveled to Swaziland and won the Arts and Culture Prize for this report on this seven wives of King Mswati III.

(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)

MPHO MOAGI, SABC CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Swaziland. A country between Mozambique and South Africa. In this tiny kingdom, polygamy is widely practiced, even by the King Mswati III. He's the country's head of state and at the age of 32, he already has seven wives.

Once a year in September, young girls come together to pay homage to the king and to celebrate their virginity. This event is known as mstganga (ph), one of oldest traditions there. This is the way Mswati III chooses his wives.

KING MSWATI III, SWAZILAND: It's not as if that's where the king normally gets his wives.

MOAGI: This year, the king's fiancee still takes part in the dance. She'll only marry the king once she's conceived. She will then be wife number eight; she will then learn to have to share her husband, something the other seven wives had to find a way to deal with.

QUEEN GCINIPHA NGANGAZA: Coming from a monogamous family, I think at first it was something new. It was definitely something new to me, but because I knew when I did it that the king already had three -- four, in fact, four wives ahead of me, I knew what the situation was.

QUEEN SIGONELO MBIKIZA: At first, you know, the wives meet obligation to help to do what you are expected to do. But, as time goes on, you grow and mature and you realize what makes you happy and what makes you unhappy. QUEEN DELIFA MAGWAZA: Sometimes you do have small differences, but you know, at the end of the day, you have to reconcile because you have to meet on certain occasions.

MBIKIZA: For myself, I like to set standards for myself and tell myself, OK, I want to achieve this. Not because I have seen somebody else who has, but because I want to.

MAGWAZA: At first it was hard. I must admit it was hard. But I guess with experience and maturity, I have learned to be able to cope.

NGANGAZA: All I can say is that I am content. Ten years ago, I want -- I didn't have the same thoughts, but now it's life. To me it's life, and I have accepted it and I think I am very comfortable the way I am living.

MOAGI: A lot of people over the world might think polygamy isn't fair, but for the seven wives of King Mswati III, it seems to be working.

This is Mpho Moagi in Swaziland for CNN WORLD REPORT.

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