Origins
The Zulu were originally a major clan in what is today
Northern KwaZulu-Natal, founded ca. 1709 by Zulu kaMalandela. In the Nguni
languages, iZulu means heaven, or weather. At that time, the area was occupied
by many large Nguni communities and clans (also called isizwe=nation, people or
isibongo=clan or family name). Nguni communities had migrated down Africa's
east coast over centuries, as part of the Bantu migrations probably arriving in
what is now South Africa in about the 9th century.
Kingdom
The Zulu formed a powerful state in 1818 under the leader
Shaka. Shaka, as the Zulu King, gained a large amount of power over the tribe.
As commander in the army of the powerful Mthethwa Empire, he became leader of
his mentor Dingiswayo's paramouncy and united what was once a confederation of
tribes into an imposing empire under Zulu hegemony.
Conflict with the
British
On 11 December 1878, agents of the British delivered an
ultimatum to 11 chiefs representing Cetshwayo. The terms forced upon Cetshwayo
required him to disband his army and accept British authority. Cetshwayo
refused, and war followed January 12, 1879. During the war, the Zulus defeated
the British at the Battle of Isandlwana on 22 January. The British managed to get
the upper hand after the Battle at Rorke's Drift, and subsequently win the war
with the Zulu being defeated at the Battle of Ulundi on 4 July.
Absorption into Natal
After Cetshwayo's capture a month following his defeat, the
British divided the Zulu Empire into 13 "kinglets". The sub-kingdoms
fought amongst each other until 1883 when Cetshwayo was reinstated as king over
Zululand. This still did not stop the fighting and the Zulu monarch was forced
to flee his realm by Zibhebhu, one of the 13 kinglets, supported by Boer
mercenaries. Cetshwayo died in February 1884, killed by Zibhebhu's regime,
leaving his son, the 15-year-old Dinuzulu, to inherit the throne. In-fighting
between the Zulu continued for years, until Zululand was absorbed fully into
the British colony of Natal.
Apartheid years
KwaZulu homeland
Under apartheid, the homeland of KwaZulu (Kwa meaning place
of) was created for Zulu people. In 1970, the Bantu Homeland Citizenship Act
provided that all Zulus would become citizens of KwaZulu, losing their South
African citizenship. KwaZulu consisted of a large number of disconnected pieces
of land, in what is now KwaZulu-Natal. Hundreds of thousands of Zulu people
living on privately owned "black spots" outside of KwaZulu were
dispossessed and forcibly moved to bantustans – worse land previously reserved
for whites contiguous to existing areas of KwaZulu – in the name of
"consolidation." By 1993, approximately 5.2 million Zulu people lived
in KwaZulu, and approximately 2 million lived in the rest of South Africa. The
Chief Minister of KwaZulu, from its creation in 1970 (as Zululand) was Chief
Mangosuthu Buthelezi. In 1994, KwaZulu was joined with the province of Natal,
to form modern KwaZulu-Natal.
Inkatha YeSizwe
Inkatha YeSizwe means "the crown of the nation".
In 1975, Buthelezi revived the Inkatha YaKwaZulu, predecessor of the Inkatha
Freedom Party. This organization was nominally a protest movement against
apartheid, but held more conservative views than the ANC. For example, Inkatha
was opposed to the armed struggle, and to sanctions against South Africa.
Inkatha was initially on good terms with the ANC, but the two organizations
came into increasing conflict beginning in 1976 in the aftermath of the Soweto
Uprising.
Modern Zulu
population
The modern Zulu population is fairly evenly distributed in
both urban and rural areas. Although KwaZulu-Natal is still their heartland,
large numbers have been attracted to the relative economic prosperity of
Gauteng province. Indeed, Zulu is the most widely spoken home language in the
province, followed by Sotho.
Language
The language of the Zulu people is "isiZulu", a
Bantu language; more specifically, part of the Nguni subgroup. Zulu is the most
widely spoken language in South Africa, where it is an official language. More
than half of the South African population are able to understand it, with over
9 million first-language and over 15 million second-language speakers. Many
Zulu people also speak Afrikaans, English, Portuguese, Xitsonga, Sesotho and
others from among South Africa's 11 official languages.
Clothing
Zulus wear a variety of attire, both traditional for
ceremonial or culturally celebratory occasions, and modern westernized clothing
for everyday use. The women dress differently depending on whether they are
single, engaged, or married. The men wore a leather belt with two strips of
hide hanging down front and back.
Religion and beliefs
Most Zulu people state their beliefs to be Christian. Some
of the most common churches to which they belong are African Initiated
Churches, especially the Zion Christian Church, [Nazareth Baptist Church] and
United African Apostolic Church, although membership of major European
Churches, such as the Dutch Reformed, Anglican and Catholic Churches are also
common. Nevertheless, many lZulus retain their traditional pre-Christian belief
system of ancestor worship in parallel with their Christianity.
Zulu religion includes belief in a creator God (uNkulunkulu)
who is above interacting in day-to-day human life, although this belief appears
to have originated from efforts by early Christian missionaries to frame the
idea of the Christian God in Zulu terms. Traditionally, the more strongly held
Zulu belief was in ancestor spirits (amaThongo or amaDlozi), who had the power
to intervene in people's lives, for good or ill. This belief continues to be
widespread among the modern Zulu population.
Traditionally, the Zulu recognize several elements to be
present in a human being: the physical body (inyama yomzimba or umzimba); the
breath or life force (umoya womphefumulo or umoya); and the "shadow,"
prestige, or personality (isithunzi). Once the umoya leaves the body, the
isithunzi may live on as an ancestral spirit (idlozi) only if certain
conditions were met in life. Behaving with ubuntu, or showing respect and
generosity towards others, enhances one's moral standing or prestige in the
community, one's isithunzi. By contrast, acting in a negative way towards
others can reduce the isithunzi, and it is possible for the isithunzi to fade
away completely.
In order to appeal to the spirit world, a diviner (sangoma)
must invoke the ancestors through divination processes to determine the
problem. Then, a herbalist (inyanga) prepares a mixture (muthi) to be consumed
in order to influence the ancestors. As such, diviners and herbalists play an
important part in the daily lives of the Zulu people. However, a distinction is
made between white muthi (umuthi omhlope), which has positive effects, such as
healing or the prevention or reversal of misfortune, and black muthi (umuthi
omnyama), which can bring illness or death to others, or ill-gotten wealth to
the user. Users of black muthi are considered witches, and shunned by the
society.
Christianity had difficulty gaining a foothold among the
Zulu people, and when it did it was in a syncretic fashion. Isaiah Shembe,
considered the Zulu Messiah, presented a form of Christianity (the Nazareth
Baptist Church) which incorporated traditional customs.
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