Prince Senzangakhona, son of Jama, current chief of the Zulu tribe, had greatly dishonored his family. He had engaged in ukuhlobonga with a woman from a different tribe[1]. This is the custom of releasing sexual tension among unmarried couples, there is no penetration involved so that the woman wouldn’t become pregnant. Engaging in ukuhlobonga was completely natural in Zulu culture but the woman, called Nandi, claimed that she was now pregnant with Senzangakhona’s son. Senzangakhona at first dismissed the swelling of Nandi’s belly as an intestinal beetle known as an iShaka. But after nine months or so, it became quite obvious that it wasn’t an intestinal beetle when she gave birth to a baby boy. Nandi then was sent in shame to the Zulu tribe to present her little beetle or Shaka. At first Senzangakhona claimed that Shaka wasn’t his son, but after some conflict with his uncle, begrudgingly accepted Shaka as his son and made Nandi his third wife[2]. Sadly, Nandi and Shaka were the targets of constant bulling from the
now chief Senzangakhona other wife’s and children. To make matters worse, even though Shaka was the first born son of Senzangakhona, it would be Sigujana, Shaka’s oldest half-brother, who would success Senzangakhona as chief. When Shaka was six years old he allowed a dog to kill one of Senzangakhona’s pet sheep. A quarrel ensued between Nandi and Senzangakhona when he beat Shaka for letting this happen. As a result Nandi,
Shaka and Nomcuba, Shaka's younger sister, were ordered to return to Nandi's own people, the Langeni. He and his mother however were still
treated poorly by his mother’s tribe. They stayed there until 1802 when the eLangumi were being affected by a great famine. Nandi, unable to provide food for her family sought refuge with the mDletsheni clan, controlled by the aging king Jobe. In 1803 at the age of 16, Shaka became a herd boy for the tribe. In 1809 King Jobe died, and was succeeded by his son Dingiswayo[3]. Under Dingiswayo rule much changed. He called up the age group that
Shaka was a part of and had them became soldiers living in the Ema-Ngweni kraal under the leadership of Buza. For six years, Shaka fought as an exceptional warrior, showing courage, strength, and cunning in abundance[4]. He even eventually became a general in Dingiswayo’s army. In 1815 King Senzangakhona became ill and despite the fact that Shaka had made an impression on him and was a protégé of Dingiswayo,Senzangakhona still Sigujana to succeed him. It wasn’t until Sigujana was killed by Ngwadi, Shaka's half-brother, was Shaka able to return to the Zulu’s to become the new Chief. With the support and approval of Dingiswayo and the Mthethwa he was installed as the new king of the Zulus at eSiklebeni, his father's capital. That began he rule of the great Shaka of the Zulus.
now chief Senzangakhona other wife’s and children. To make matters worse, even though Shaka was the first born son of Senzangakhona, it would be Sigujana, Shaka’s oldest half-brother, who would success Senzangakhona as chief. When Shaka was six years old he allowed a dog to kill one of Senzangakhona’s pet sheep. A quarrel ensued between Nandi and Senzangakhona when he beat Shaka for letting this happen. As a result Nandi,
Shaka and Nomcuba, Shaka's younger sister, were ordered to return to Nandi's own people, the Langeni. He and his mother however were still
treated poorly by his mother’s tribe. They stayed there until 1802 when the eLangumi were being affected by a great famine. Nandi, unable to provide food for her family sought refuge with the mDletsheni clan, controlled by the aging king Jobe. In 1803 at the age of 16, Shaka became a herd boy for the tribe. In 1809 King Jobe died, and was succeeded by his son Dingiswayo[3]. Under Dingiswayo rule much changed. He called up the age group that
Shaka was a part of and had them became soldiers living in the Ema-Ngweni kraal under the leadership of Buza. For six years, Shaka fought as an exceptional warrior, showing courage, strength, and cunning in abundance[4]. He even eventually became a general in Dingiswayo’s army. In 1815 King Senzangakhona became ill and despite the fact that Shaka had made an impression on him and was a protégé of Dingiswayo,Senzangakhona still Sigujana to succeed him. It wasn’t until Sigujana was killed by Ngwadi, Shaka's half-brother, was Shaka able to return to the Zulu’s to become the new Chief. With the support and approval of Dingiswayo and the Mthethwa he was installed as the new king of the Zulus at eSiklebeni, his father's capital. That began he rule of the great Shaka of the Zulus.
He is Shaka the unshakeable,
Thunderer-while-sitting, son of Menzi
He is the bird that preys on other birds,
The battle-axe that excels over other battle-axes in sharpness,
He is the long-strided pursuer, son of Ndaba,
Who pursued the sun and the moon.
He is the great hubbub like the rocks of Nkandla
Where elephants take shelter
When the heavens frown…'
Traditional Zulu praise song, English translation by Ezekiel Mphahlele
Thunderer-while-sitting, son of Menzi
He is the bird that preys on other birds,
The battle-axe that excels over other battle-axes in sharpness,
He is the long-strided pursuer, son of Ndaba,
Who pursued the sun and the moon.
He is the great hubbub like the rocks of Nkandla
Where elephants take shelter
When the heavens frown…'
Traditional Zulu praise song, English translation by Ezekiel Mphahlele
Ageist
all odds, the Zulu tribe became the Zulu nation. An empire built on the skulls of its enemies and fed by its constant clashes with other tribes. Rich on cattle and war profit and under the strategic military genius of King Shaka, the Zulu war machine seemed unstoppable. That is, until Nandi, Shaka’s mother, died of Dysentery. On the day of her death, 10 October 1827, Shaka put on his war regalia and proceeded to wail in anguish along with the entire tribe. According to Zulu tradition, when a person of Nandi’s position died, several servants and attendants should be wounded or killed. So, as the wailing when on, Shaka had huge numbers of his own people put to death during the mourning ceremonies because they showed insufficient grief; and Shaka’s armies were sent out to force the surrounding chiefdoms to grieve. Not only did he have his own people killed, he also banned the planting of crops in all villages, except military Kraals, outlawed the use of milk for one year, and had all women that were found pregnant murdered along with their husbands. The king’s madness continued on for a year until, September 24th, 1828, Shaka’s traitorous brothers saw a chance to take the throne for themselves. Taking advantage of the absence of Shaka’s armies, his bodyguard Mbopha, and his half-brothers Dingane and Mhlangana, decided to make their move on Shaka near his military barracks at Dukuza. Shaka said “Hey brother! You kill me, thinking you will rule, but the swallows will do that.”By swallows he meant the white people, because they made their houses of mud, like the swallows. This was too much for his half-brothers and they leapt upon him, stabbing. According to members of his family, Shaka's last words were:“Are you stabbing me, kings of the earth? You will come to an end through killing one another.” It is believed that they buried his body in a grain-pit nearby. Having died without an heir, Dingane, one of the half-brothers who killed Shaka, succeeded him. Though Shaka died, the Zulu nation still remained strong and united, even after multiple defeats and attempts to splinter it.
all odds, the Zulu tribe became the Zulu nation. An empire built on the skulls of its enemies and fed by its constant clashes with other tribes. Rich on cattle and war profit and under the strategic military genius of King Shaka, the Zulu war machine seemed unstoppable. That is, until Nandi, Shaka’s mother, died of Dysentery. On the day of her death, 10 October 1827, Shaka put on his war regalia and proceeded to wail in anguish along with the entire tribe. According to Zulu tradition, when a person of Nandi’s position died, several servants and attendants should be wounded or killed. So, as the wailing when on, Shaka had huge numbers of his own people put to death during the mourning ceremonies because they showed insufficient grief; and Shaka’s armies were sent out to force the surrounding chiefdoms to grieve. Not only did he have his own people killed, he also banned the planting of crops in all villages, except military Kraals, outlawed the use of milk for one year, and had all women that were found pregnant murdered along with their husbands. The king’s madness continued on for a year until, September 24th, 1828, Shaka’s traitorous brothers saw a chance to take the throne for themselves. Taking advantage of the absence of Shaka’s armies, his bodyguard Mbopha, and his half-brothers Dingane and Mhlangana, decided to make their move on Shaka near his military barracks at Dukuza. Shaka said “Hey brother! You kill me, thinking you will rule, but the swallows will do that.”By swallows he meant the white people, because they made their houses of mud, like the swallows. This was too much for his half-brothers and they leapt upon him, stabbing. According to members of his family, Shaka's last words were:“Are you stabbing me, kings of the earth? You will come to an end through killing one another.” It is believed that they buried his body in a grain-pit nearby. Having died without an heir, Dingane, one of the half-brothers who killed Shaka, succeeded him. Though Shaka died, the Zulu nation still remained strong and united, even after multiple defeats and attempts to splinter it.