A few weeks ago, I received the incredible news that I had been accepted as media at a fashion and music festival called Standard Bank Luju Festival in Eswatini! It is the blogs first accreditation and the start of something new and amazing. I envision; experience based festival stories, close ups of the artists and gems we find, logistics around the festival, tips and tricks of how to have the best camping experience and so much more. All of this to build a comprehensive festival map for us festival lovers! Tag along and see how it goes, I am beyond excited to take you guys with on this experience of uncovering the essence of yet another, likely very beautiful, festival in southern Africa.
Beginner tips on solo traveling and crossing borders from Mozambique
Despite my historically dramatic experience of crossing the Mozambican land border on my own , I had decided to take the local bus, called Xiapa/Kombi, to Eswatini. I arrived at Legends Backpackers, in Ezulwini Valley, after a journey of sixteen hours! The first eight hours were simply waiting at the bus stop for the bus to fill up. I had been told to be at the bus station in Baixa, downtown Maputo, at eight in the morning. At two o’clock the Xiapa was only half full and we still didn’t know when we would be departing. At that point I definitely started feeling stressed about the situation. I did not want to get stuck at the border at night, again…
I approach the driver for the fifth time. He looked at me with tired eyes and explained that nobody can honestly say what time a Xiapa will depart since they can’t know when the bus will be full enough to leave. And since the bus is dependent on its passengers to leave, they will tell you the time they think will make you happy so that you choose to travel with them.
I sigh with irritation. I get the dilemma, I do. But it is so inefficient and dishonest it makes me crawl with irritation. It wasn’t what I was told yesterday when I came to arrange my trip. My phone battery is already running low but there is no point in leaving the bus to charge it now, the bus could leave at any point. At any point meaning anywhere between the next five minutes to the next two hours. I sigh again. I think about my friend Inga who always used to smile at my impatience and say “In Mozambique we wait! It’s a daily activity here.”
With a much grumpier demeanour than her, I cross my arms and sit down in the bus for another two hours of nothing. When we get to the border, it is dark. As we park the bus I look to the driver, it is the same driver who left me here the last time we were here. I try to catch his eye now but he stubbornly avoids all contact. Maybe he remembers all the trouble from last time and wants to avoid any involvement. Or maybe he feels guilty about leaving me here with the all male police officers in the middle of the night. I know I would.
I don’t know what it is about my passport that makes all the officers huff and gruff when they receive it. After some back and forth I do get my passport back and am allowed to continue traveling. I am not used to this, having to argue with authority about what is right and wrong. It makes me nervous and uncomfortable as hell. I guess I should see it as free therapy for my people pleasing tendencies…
“Back so soon?” The Eswatini border police says with a smile as he stamps my passport. So smooth. No overly inflated egos or inappropriate questions. I smile in return and explain I am here for Luju Festival. The officer in turn wishes me the best of times and that was that. This is how it should be.
Pre Luju jitters
When I wake up Friday morning the festival excitement is quickly replaced by chaos. The guy who was supposed to be my videographer this festival has canceled. This was supposed to be my first festival with a team, a huge investment and step forward for the blog. Furthermore, he was also bringing all of my outfits for the festival as well as my winter jacket, a MUST-HAVE in Eswatini early August (the end of winter season). Not to talk about the emotional rollercoaster of getting ditched the day of your first big gig. What a shit show. Sort of like that reoccurring nightmare of showing up to a performance and only realizing on stage that you are naked. Or coming unprepared to a pitch.
I go into crisis fixing mode and rush to The Gables, a mall close by, to see what can be done about the wardrobe. It only hits me mid chaos induced shopping spree that I realize: I am about to participate in a fashion festival?! A festival that specifically has as purpose to enable and give space to local brands and crafts! I immediately put down whatever I’m holding and leave the mall. On my way back to the backpackers I start to laugh, stress can really be blinding!
I was in Eswatini about to experience a high-end food and fashion festival! Today was the day of dreams and adventure! What else really mattered? Sure, nothing was going as planned, but when has it ever really? I could feel the worry and stress from this morning washing off me and when the Media lady later on put the press band around my wrist, I vowed to always remember this moment. The moment of dream weaving and creation!!
As soon as I go through the main entrance of Luju Festival I am met by Simon, Luju’s Communications Officer. The festival is already in full swing as we pass through the different areas. Simon explains that Luju used to be a one day festival but has now merged into a two day festival due to popular demand. He makes a point of saying that even though the festival is growing bigger and bigger each year, it is not about getting the biggest names on stage. Rather it is about creating a stage for the artists and creatives that both align with and expand the values of the Luju food and lifestyle festival.
Simon takes me to a top-up station so that I can fill my festival band, as Luju is a cashless festival. When I am done I can’t help but feel a bit lost. My performance anxiety kicks in full force as Simon introduces me to the media people at the media tent. I feel like an imposter next to these professional radio and newspaper people. Everyone is in a team. “…don’t forget to have fun!” Simon squeezed my shoulder lightly, perhaps seeing how my face was turning paler and paler by the minute, before rushing off into the Luju night. I take a deep breath, show time!
First night of Luju Festival 2023
I have a few hours before my first interview and I start by scoping out a place to eat. I have heard endlessly about how one of the three main pillars of Luju Festival is the food (the other two being fashion and music). I am more than excited when I walk around and smell the different aromas from the diverse cuisines. The Lounge has seated areas around fires and I end up enjoying some fresh spring rolls.
The taste of coriander, chilli, ginger and soy hits me full force and I smile. I can feel the heat from the fire warming my back and in front of me the Luju festival is coming to life as more and more people start dancing to Iamsiwas beats. As I start walking towards the main stage, the next act goes on. Before I know it, the cold night air is filled with the powerful voices of Emahlokohloko choir. The choir from Eswatini makes for a powerful start of the live music acts as its songs of worship and devotion, joy and gratitude invite people to dance and sing along. Praise is praise, and I could feel the energy of the music in my soul even though I didn’t understand one word.
Somewhere, half way through the performance, I sway away through the happy crowds towards the Fashion Café. Since my own planned wardrobe got stuck in South Africa, I was now eager to use this excuse to shop at Luju’s infamous fashion market. Every vendor and creator I spoke to either talked about their heritage, co-living with nature, or their spirituality in some sense. My first artist to interview at Luju Festival, singer Dato Seiko from Botswana, seemed to personify these attributes in every sense – from her lyrics to her humble, esoteric presence.
Interview with Dato Seiko
At eight o’clock on the first evening of Luju Festival 2023, the Botswanan singer Dato Seiko, takes the stage. Her small stature in spite, her presence feels larger than the open-air stage she stands on. She has the audience spellbound from the first note sung. Her music can be described as singer songwriter gone RnB style, combined with vulnerable, heartfelt lyrics. The chilly Eswatini air only made itself known after Dato Seiko let the last note die out. When I later ask her if she has always felt comfortable on stage, she giggles a little and shrugs.
“I think the stage has always loved me. It chose me, I don’t know how I even got here but music has always found a way to me. Even when I tried to ignore it, it kept calling me. I mean, you have to rehearse quite a lot for you to be comfortable on stage but the nerves never go away… I am still nervous every time!”
What is it that inspires you to go through that uncomfortable stage of nerves and do what you do?
“I alway say that we provide a healing service, we are service providers. People always need some type of healing, our music is affordable therapy! I think, seeing people resonate with the music that we write and the music that we make, or having somebody say that you told our story through your song and you don’t even know them! It shows how powerful music is as a tool to actually heal people.” It is not hard to feel she is right. Dato Seikos songs vibrate right into where it feels the most. Where you need it the most.
How is it being a woman navigating a male dominated business?
“I like to believe that when Grace is upon you, nothing can stop you. So even if it’s a male dominated industry, if you step in – your authority will be felt”.
Dato Seiko is not only known for her performances and music. She has over three hundred thousand followers on social media, to whom she generously shares her best singing coach tips. I ask her,
do you have any words of wisdom to somebody who is just starting out?
“Do what you have to do and believe in what you are doing. You are the best salesman for yourself so believe in what you do, thoroughly, and do it! I think there is always someone out there that resonates with you so don’t think too much about it, just do it and see it come to fruition.”
I look into her kind eyes as I thank her for her time, unable to express the peace her words had blessed me with. As I walk out into the cool Eswatini night, I can feel how the interview has grounded me. Is this what my life is like now? *mind blown*
Luju's line-up Friday night 2023
The rest of the evening is packed, Luju’s line-up is on fire! Straight after the interview I head towards the Taste of Mozambique area where the Hood Brodz have the whole Amphitheater boiling. It is almost impossible to get down to the dance floor but I was up for the challenge, properly motivated by the DJs. I get down to the dance floor and within five minutes I am sweating, something I did not think was possible in the Eswatini winter night.
After a good thirty minutes of dancing I start heading back to the media tent to prepare for the next interview. Halfway there I stop mid step, I can’t believe my ears. But clear as day, it’s country music! I don’t know about you, but Eswatini is the last place I’d expect to hear country music at. I walk towards the Mastercard stage and see, what I now know is the Eswatini Country duo Dusty & Stones, making the whole crowd dance. I stay as long as I can and watch young and old having fun together to the happy music.
Seeing the genius Zoë Modiga perform was a highlight out of this world! Having the honour to interview her is something I am still processing and will write extensively about soon. When I get back to the main stage, DJ Teedo Love has everyone dancing their feet off. It feels like the whole field is swaying in unison as she mixes modern hits with timeless classics.
After this I was honestly ready to get going home, my night felt complete. But I had promised a friend to not miss Big Zulu’s performance as she couldn’t be here herself. I wasn’t disappointed. His performance set the audience on fire to the extent it was sometimes hard to hear him over the chanting crowd. When I got back to the hostel it was three am and I could still hear the crowds in my ears.
Getting from Luju festival without a car
There hadn’t been any shuttles nor taxis available when the festivals last concert had ended, only endless cues of cars. Eventually, two girls waiting for their mother to pick them up took pity on me and offered me a ride. Without a proper jacket, I gratefully accepted their offer while messaging a picture of the car’s registration number to a friend. Just in case. I have been advised to always have my own car when traveling these regions simply because it is easier. Even public transport doesn’t run on a time schedule. But I believe it is important to be able to access events with public transport and taxis. For economic accessibility and such. Especially in countries where the larger portion of the population lives in poverty, accessible transportation options directly correlates to who can come and enjoy the events.
6 thoughts on “First day of Luju Festival in Eswatini 2023”
👏 Heja!! Bra jobbat. Både att ha tålamod tillräckligt för bussresan och förstås för ditt jobb på festivalen 👏👏
Vilken fin intervju. Intressanta – fina svar på bra frågor. Blir till reflektioner i mig om självklarheten i att va connected till ngt mer – i det Eswatiniska sammanhanget 💗
👏 Heja!! Bra jobbat. Både att ha tålamod tillräckligt för bussresan och förstås för ditt jobb på festivalen 👏👏
Vilken fin intervju. Intressanta – fina svar på bra frågor. Blir till reflektioner i mig om självklarheten i att va connected till ngt mer – i det Eswatiniska sammanhanget 💗
Tack!! Ja, samhörighet, energimedvetenhet och spiritualitet är teman jag kommer skriva mer om framöver💗
I love this for you!<3
Thank you love!:*
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