Eswatini Flags – Swaziland Flag, Bunting & Hand Flags

The Eswatini flag: the Nguni shield on crimson

Eswatini, formerly Swaziland, flies one of the most distinctive flags in Africa. It has five horizontal bands, blue, yellow, a wide crimson centre, yellow and blue, and across the crimson lies a black-and-white Nguni shield of oxhide laid over two spears and a staff decorated with tassels of feathers from the widowbird and the lourie, both birds associated with the monarchy. Crimson recalls past battles, blue stands for peace and stability, and yellow for the country’s mineral wealth. The black and white of the shield are said to show black and white people living together in peace. The design is based on a military banner given by King Sobhuza II to the Swazi Pioneer Corps in 1941 and was adopted on 6 October 1968, shortly after independence. In 2018 King Mswati III renamed the country Eswatini, meaning “land of the Swazis”, but the flag did not change. Our catalogue still lists it as the Swaziland flag; it is the current Eswatini national flag.

Independence Day, Umhlanga and the Swazi community

Eswatini became independent from Britain on 6 September 1968, and Somhlolo Day, as Independence Day is also called, is the main national holiday. The two great cultural ceremonies are Umhlanga, the reed dance held in late August or early September, and Incwala, the kingship ceremony around the December and January solstice, both of which feature the flag alongside traditional dress. The Sihlangu Semnikati football team and the country’s runners and boxers carry it at the Commonwealth Games and the Olympics. The Swazi community in the UK is small but close-knit, gathering for independence celebrations, church services and charity events, and the flag is regularly ordered for school projects, Commonwealth Day displays, gap-year and mission links, and the Southern African societies at British universities.

Sizes, grades and fittings

The Eswatini flag is stocked in 20x12in, 3ft x 2ft, 5ft x 3ft and 8ft x 5ft. Flagtex is a printed lightweight polyester for indoor display and short events; DuraFlag is a thicker knitted polyester with stronger hems for a pole outdoors. Brass eyelets come as standard, with clips or rope and toggle available on DuraFlag.

Eswatini bunting

Eswatini bunting places the shield-and-spears flag on rectangular pennants in 3m and 9m lengths, ready for a hall, a classroom or a Commonwealth Day display. It is printed on both sides on polyester that can go outside.

Hand flags and table flags

Eswatini hand flags on wooden sticks come in 9x6in and 18x12in for school parades and independence gatherings. The Eswatini table flag is 6x4in with a base, and the large wooden table flag at 18x12in suits a top table or reception. South Africa, Lesotho, Mozambique and Botswana are in world flags.

Eswatini flag FAQs

Popular in this collection

• Eswatini (Swaziland) Flag (20x12in to 8x5ft, Flagtex or DuraFlag)from £6.99
• Eswatini Bunting (3m or 9m)from £9.98
• Eswatini Hand Flags (9x6in, 18x12in)from £5.99
• Eswatini Table Flag 6x4in with Basefrom £1.98
• Eswatini Large Wooden Table Flagfrom £3.98