National day is 6th September. This country still has no flag and stamp. Flag request already added Eswatini , officially the Kingdom of Eswatini and formerly named Swaziland; officially renamed in 2018, is a landlocked country in Southern Africa. It is bordered by Mozambique to its northeast and South Africa to its north, west, south, and southeast. At no more than 200 kilometres (120 mi) north to south and 130 kilometres (81 mi) east to west, Eswatini is one of the smallest countries in Africa; despite this, its climate and topography are diverse, ranging from a cool and mountainous highveld to a hot and dry lowveld. Population 1093238 Nguni shield A Nguni shield is a traditional, pointed oval-shaped, ox or cowhide shield which is used by various ethnic groups among the Nguni people of southern Africa. Currently it is used by diviners or for ceremonial and symbolic purposes, and many are produced for the tourist market. A cow-hide shield is known as isihlangu, ihawu or ingubha in Zulu, and ikhaka or ikhawu in Xhosa. Strictly speaking these native names denote shields of different application, and additional types are known by other names. War shields were traditionally stockpiled by a chief or king, to whom they belonged, while a smaller shield was reserved for his subordinates' personal daily use, or as a complement at their dancing ceremonies. True Nguni shields are made of raw cattle hide, as the esteemed Sanga-Nguni cattle lend distinction to the shields, which are more than mere commodities for physical protection. Amongst the Zulus, there are various named varieties of these shields, each with a specific use. The large war shield, of about 5 feet (1.5 m) in length, is known as an isihlangu, which means "to brush aside". It was king Shaka's shield of choice, and he intended his warriors to use it in an offensive way by hooking the opponent's shield during hand-to-hand fighting. The umbumbuluzo was also a war shield, but only 3.5 feet (1.1 m) in length, and more sturdy than the isihlangu. They were easily held in one hand, and were used in 1856 during Cetshwayo's campaign against Mbulazi. The ihubelo is a large shield used for hunting, smaller than isihlangu, but larger than the ihawu. The ihawu is a small to medium-sized shield used at dances. The igqoka is a small, neat shield for courting, and the igabelomunye is the smallest decorative shield, which may be used as an accessory to dancing. A shield was carried in the left hand, as the only piece of defensive armour used by the Nguni. Its use was practiced from boyhood, by means of stick fighting. Its primary function was to deflect spears, assegais or Khoisan arrows, but they were also carried during lion or leopard hunts. King Shaka's warriors bashed their opponents with the shield to knock them off balance, or alternatively used it to hook the opponents shield away, to enable a stab with the assegai. Shields could also be used to confuse the enemy; the Zulu army used the shields of their enemies to disguise themselves, and cause bewilderment among enemy ranks. Likewise the vanquished enemy at times took up Zulu shields to hide their identity until they could make their escape. King Dingane's general Bongoza advised his warriors to hide behind shields and imitate grazing cattle, in which way they lured Boer commandos into valleys and into striking distance. It was used as protection against the weather, or as bivouac shelters when the Xhosa or Fengu armies camped out. When a king was sitting in the open, his subordinates would hold one or several shields over him to shade him from the sun. They were also used during dancing routines, at weddings or as a screen at a bridal procession. During consultation of a diviner they were beaten like drums. Its use went in decline when firearms were introduced to hostilities. When lions and leopards were exterminated by firearms, it also lost its usefulness in hunting. By 1835 it is said to have been discarded by the Xhosa in their conflicts with Europeans. Baines (1851, 1852) and Weitz (1873) however observed their use among the Mpondo many years later. By the 1870s the Zulus were exporting large quantities of cowhides to obtain firearms and this also decreased the supply. A Nguni shield features prominently on the Flag of Eswatini The coat of arms of Eswatini is a coat of arms depicting various symbols for traditional Eswatini culture. The lion represents the King of Eswatini and the elephant represents the Queen-mother. They support a traditional Nguni shield which represents "protection". Above the shield is the King's lidlabe, or crown of feathers, normally worn during Incwala (the festival of the harvest). On a banner below the shield is Eswatini's national motto, Siyinqaba, meaning, "We are the fortress".
