Handcraft

Handcraft ranges from traditional to kitsch to good quality imaginative work, in the end it is all a matter of personal choice - and in Swaziland there is plenty to choose from. A reasonable range of handmade crafts are available at the Manzini Market sold by the people who actually make them. Here you can also see traditional healers selling exotic goods like medicines made from crocodile body parts as well as tinsmiths - this is a real African market, not something dreamed up for tourists.

There are some interesting carvings on the side of the road between Mbabane and Pigg’s Peak, most notably near the Malolotja Nature Reserve entrance gate. There are stylised cat-tables unique to the area. A new style of wood working is developing in Swaziland, chainsaw carving. This is mostly done in jacaranda wood (an exotic invader) and then finished by hand. There are a large number of roadside stalls near the Royal Swazi Sun and in Ezulwini. Handcraft at the roadside is usually cheaper than in shops, the sellers have far fewer overheads. On the other hand they don’t import goods from other parts of Africa and therefore have a smaller range.