Mantenga Falls:
The Place That Shaped Who I am

Essay Writing Competition 2026
Category: 12 - 15 years
- Merit -

"Mantenga Falls: The Place That Shaped Who I Am" by Melokuhle Mthembu from Eswatini was chosen as commended essay in the Senior category 12 - 15 years.

This article was submitted in the Kids World Travel Guide Essay Competition 2026.

The Place That Shaped Who I Am

"A landmark is more than a monument of history, it tells a unique story." - Anonymous

Ever since I was a child, I loved traveling around my country. I was always fascinated by seeing and just learning more about landmarks. Wheather it is their history or just their unique beauty, I was always captivated. If there is one landmark that shaped the person I am today, that would be Mantenga Falls. It lies on the Ezulwini valley and is inter connected with the Mantenga Cultural Village, which is like a living museum that has 19th century siSwati huts.

Entering Mantenga is more like entering heaven. During the short route you get to see beautiful species of plants that are rare and animals such as the Vervet monkey and Nyala. Sometimes a few monkeys would swing from one tree to another, which is very beautiful to witness. You also see a river flowing south. A local guide assists you from the start, from the moment you enter up until you reach Mantenga Cultural Village also known as "ligugu Lemaswati"*.

As you get off the tour bus , the atmosphere is filled with distant sounds of beating drums and singing. The guide then takes you through each hut, teaching you of its uses and importance. Some of which includes Indlu yakagogo, Sibaya, lilawu* etc. Each hut is a replicate of the huts used by our ancestors long time ago.

From there, you then watch a traditional siSwati dance performance by local emaSwati*. They perform while dressed in traditional siSwati regalia, which includes umhelwane, sidvwashi, ligcebesha, emafahlawane* and many more. The dance performance includes Sibhaca and Ingadla.They sing and dance during the performance. If you like you can also join in or just take a video.

After the performance, you can go on a hike to view Mantenga Falls. It is also a good opportunity to view and spot birds. Even from a mile away, you can hear the waters from Mantenga splashing loudly. Mantenga Falls is just a beauty to see. It is surrounded by green lush bushes. It is very beautiful.

Mantenga Falls is not just a landmark, it is important to our siSwati culture and tells the story of our heritage through the following:

Preserves our heritage through the replication of the 19th-century huts .
My generation (Gen Zs and Gen Alphas ) get to see it in reality, rather than in books
Promotes identity as you get to learn more that who are Emaswati and how they lived.

Mantenga Falls shaped me a lot.

Growing up in Piggs Peak, I was always exposed to modern buildings and I spoke a lot of English. However that changed a lot when I was at Mantenga. I learnt more about my culture as a liSwati and my language and I also got to see the huts used by my ancestors long ago.

Landmarks represent our different cultures, heritage and identity in many unique and outstanding ways. They shape who we are. They need to be protected because they are not just landmarks, they tell a unique story.

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[Editor's note: *Short explanation: The people in Eswatini refer to themselves as liSwati (one person) or emaSwati (people).

* The siSwati terms used in the essay translate to:

ligugu Lemaswati: the pride of the Swati people
indlu yakagogo: main and most sacred hut
sibaya: sacred hut in the cattle kraal for meetings
lilawu: hut where boys sleep once they are independent
umhelwane: garment or cloth worn on upper body
sidvwashi: wrap skirt
ligcebesha: necklace made with beads
emafahlawane: ankle rattle traditionally made from seed pods

Congratulations on your rich and heartfelt essay "The Place That Shaped Who I Am", Melokuhle! What an insightful exploration of Swati culture! You effectively shared how this landmark connected you to your Swati heritage and shaped your identity! Well done!

Melokuhle, 14 years, attends Mhlatane High School in Eswatini. English as second language. Siswati as home language.