Lihiya

The lihiya (plural emahiya) is a draped, toga-style garment worn by the Swazi people of Eswatini. Unlike many textiles documented on this site, it is made from manufactured printed cloth rather than locally woven fabric, often shweshwe or similarly patterned prints. Its precise historical origin is not documented in available sources. Its clearest cultural anchor today is the Umhlanga (Reed Dance), an annual ceremony held at Ludzidzini in late August or early September, honouring the Queen Mother and the royal family — the emahiya is considered the most appropriate attire for the occasion.

The lihiya is worn by both men and women, in daily life and at ceremonies. At the Umhlanga, it is worn specifically by unmarried, childless young women. Among women more broadly, the way the lihiya is knotted indicates marital status: a knot on the right shoulder marks an unmarried woman, while a knot on the left shoulder marks a married woman, who traditionally also wears a goatskin over the right shoulder. The lower garment, called sidvwashi, is traditionally brown, while orange is the colour most commonly chosen for weddings.

The lihiya remains widely worn today, sold through both traditional retailers and online platforms, with modernized versions increasingly available alongside classic printed styles.