Visit The Swazi Candle Factory

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This homemade art will shed light on any traveller’s misconception about making candles and provide the best presents to take home to loved ones. Swaziland is home to glass, batik and candle factories and Swazi candles are handmade using the age-old trade bead technique perfected in the glass making city of Murano, Italy. This technique is called Millefiore and it was adapted and utilized in the African candle making craft. Millefiore means “thousand flowers” and was first used in ancient Alexandria and perfected in Venice and Murano and it is now a major attraction in the Kingdom of Swaziland.

It got to Swaziland when Venetian trade beads were used as a form of currency to barter for gold and ivory along the African coast. The North and West Africans made their own variation that is sought-after by collectors today. Instead of glass, hard wax is used by candle makers to create colourful, artistic designs. The outer shell is hard wax veneer and it hardly melts when the candle is lit and the exterior is illuminated to produce a wonderful glow. To add to the art, each candle is hand-moulded and hand-finished by the Swazi craftspeople, making its shape and character unique inspired by the textures of Africa.

Malkerns valley is a candle factory with handcrafted candles shaped from rhinos to geometric designs, while House on Fire is a community craft by day and entertainment centre at night with performers and activities like drum circle sessions, swirling poi, music by the bar and secret seats to look up at the clear stars by candlelight.