South Africa hosts a variety of different cultures,

which is why it is often referred to as the rainbow

nation.
With 11 official languages there are even more
ethnicities.
Ethnic groups in South Africa include Afrikaans,
European, Indian, Zulu, Xhosa, Sotho, Tswana,
Ndebele, Swati, Tsonga, and more
The rainbow nation

What South Africa is
known for
I asked a variety of
people from America to
tell me what they knew
about South Africa and
this is what they knew:
Apartheid
Oscar Pistorious
Casper Lee
Sports players
Nelson Mandela





Cape town
Game reserves
When I asked what they knew about Zulu they either
had no idea what that was, or guessed it was some type
of tribe which is why I made this presentation

Through my stay in South Africa I stayed with white
host families and went to a school with primarily white
students. However I became interested in the Zulu
culture through the domestic workers at my homes
Eunice and Angel, Zulu language class at school, and
the fact that the majority of the people in KwaZulu
Natal are Zulu
My stay

Zulu Language
Through lessons from my
families helper, Eunice,
friends at school, and the
Zulu teacher I have learned a
little bit of Zulu vocabulary
such as how to greet people.



A typical greeting would
go something like this
Sawubona (used as hello
and translates literally to I
see you)
Yebo (yes) Sawubona (I
see you)
Kunjani? (how are you?)
Ngiyaphela wena kunjani
(I am fine and you?)
Ngiyaphela (I am fine)



Language continued
Some common words
Ngiabonga (thank you)
Ngiakuthanda ( I love
you)
Kuyashisa (its hot)
Yebo (yes)
Cha (no)
Ngikhathele (im tired)
Ngilambile (im hungry)
Ngiyagula (im sick)
Ukudla (food)
Zulu is a very difficult
language to learn because
the pronunciation unlike
any I have heard before.
Also there is no one word
for it or I. Everything
depends on the other
words in the sentence and
you just have to
memorise these things.


Dance
Ukusha means to dance
and dancing is used a lot
in Zulu culture.
King Shaka used war
dances to scare off the
enemy
Dancing is also used in
weddings, funerals,
festivals, ceremony's,
coming of age parties,
relationships and more
Classic moves used in
Zulu dancing include
-High kicking and stomping
-shield/stick routines
-Rhythmical clapping
-Vigorous movements
-Attack/retreat routines
-Gyrating
-And solo displays
A dance group
I saw at
uShaka in
Durban
Eunices neighbour
children dancing

Dance video
This is a video I
took of a Zulu
dance group at
uShaka in
Durban. I
apologize for the
poor quality of
the video

Music
What is dance without
some music?

Most music is gospel,
because religion plays a
key role in culture .
Drums are used.
Eunice, the worker at my house,
recorded her own album of
traditional Zulu music. She sang
for me and had some children
dance to her music for me

One classic Zulu craft is beadwork. Necklaces
bracelets and other crafts use seeds, shells or bones,
and clay beads
Other Zulu crafts are pottery, woven bowls and
baskets, and more
Crafts

The colour of the beads symbolize a meaning. This
was used before Zulu was a written language
Young men used throw beads at girls, if the girls
picked up these beads it meant they liked the boy.
White meant purity love and truth
Black meant grief or marriage
Yellow meant wealth
Blue meant faithfulness
Green meant love sickness, jealousy, or happiness
Pink meant poverty

Beaded messages
Beadwork
Beads are worn as
part of traditional
clothing as well as a
craft profession to
sell to tourists

Traditional Clothing
Today most Zulu people wear modern clothing. However traditional dress,
which is only worn on special occasions, includes lots of beads for both
men and women as well as lots of colour

Women

A short black skirt made
from goat or cattle skin or a
grass skirt
Lots of beads
If unmarried women
wouldnt wear a shirt and
would only wear beads on
there top. However engaged
women wear a t-shirt and
married women cover their
bodies
A special hat for weddings


Men's clothing
A waist apron made of
goat or cattle skin
Feathers or fur on the
head
Goat skin bands on
arms and legs
A headband worn by
unmarried men
Animal skin is worn


Long ago the Zulu people used to be many
unorganized tribes throughout the area who were
descendants of the Nguni people
In the 1800s King Shaka organized these tribes into
the powerful Zulu kingdom known for military
He recruited young men and trained them to be
warriors
This was the official start of the Zulu nation which
soon became one of the mightiest empires in Africa

The History of Zulu

Shaka was an illegitimate son of Senzangakhona kajamo
and Nandi
He has is own brother Singujana killed so he could be
king
As he gained power he wanted to conquer more tribes
He was a military genius and the most prominent Zulu
king
He let Europeans into Zulu land occasionally, which
eventually led to the unwanted colonization.
The Zulu people of this time has a warrior mind set.
Skaka was assassinated by his brothers.
King Shaka was a ruthless leader.




Shaka

Young men were recruited by Shaka
They were trained to be great warriors
Defeated armies assimilating people
Shaka was very harsh he made his men run on torn
barefoot over thorns and hot coal. If they were
unable to do this he would kill them or if he knew
they could do it he would cut of a hand or finger so
they knew they had to.

Zulu Warriors

Bull horn method
This method of fighting trapped
the enemy and was a great war
strategy.
Step 1: the Chest people, or main
force, would close in on the enemy
pinning them into position.
Step 2: the Horns people would
close in on the left and right side of
the enemy trapping them.
Step 3: the Loins people would
stand behind the chest people with
their backs to the battle waiting to
step in if the enemy broke free from
the encirclement.
Anglo-Zulu war
The British empire
wanted to control South
Africa and its tribes thus
resulting in the war
There were many battles
resulting in British victory
ending the independence
of the Zulu nation

On January, 22, 1879 The battle
of Isandlwana was one Zulu
victory
The Zulu people won even
though they were
disadvantaged
Both armies suffered terrible
losses
The British were defeated by the
Zulus who were
technologically inferior to the
British
This showed the Zulu people to
be a fierce military opponent
Isandlwana
I was able to see a few
of the battle grounds
while in South Africa

Many Zulu people believe in the spirits of their ancestors
being a part of there lives.
Ancestors in the afterlife guide and protect the living
Offerings and sacrifices are offered to these ancestors to
bring people protection, health, and happiness
Most people have been converted to Christianity
However many people still practice a mix of Christian
and ancestral beliefs
Sometimes ancestral belief is known as ngoma or
amadlozi
Huts where ancestors reside are called ndumba, which
are used by traditional healers.

Ancestral belief
A Sangoma is a traditional healer in South Africa, used by not only
Zulus but other African cultures as well.
Men and women can both be Sangomas
The ancestors instruct the Sangomas in how to heal
These healers heal physical, emotional, and spiritual illness.
These healers are highly respected.
There used to be two types of healers, the Sangomas did more
fortune telling while Inyangas gave medicine from plants and
animals. However modern healers usually do a little of both
Sangomas bring a balanced relationship between spirits and patients.
Someone who has a problem and goes to the Sangoma will be given a
type of muthi to help fix this, as well as the Sangoma trying to figure
out the root cause of the problem
Sangomas go through a training process to become Sangomas.
Usually a Sangoma is called to be a Sangoma through the ancestors.
Sangoma

They perform birth and death rituals, rituals to find lost cattle,
protect warriors, and counteract witches.
These rituals are performed to the ancestors to show respect
These rituals usually include
animal sacrifices
Summoning ancestors
Burning plants
Dancing
Chanting
Playing drums
Channelling
Interpreting dreams
Throwing bones
And giving Muthi (medicine)

Rituals

Muti means medicine, specifically traditional medicine.
Although originally it was the Zulu word for tree. Most
muthi is made from plants. Many White South Africans use
the term Muthi for any medicine
There is usually symbolism in the medicine given. For
example if someone lacks courage they will be given
something to do with a lion.
Muthis try to purify a person. This is done through bathing
with muthi, vomiting, steaming or inhaling a muthi, nasally
or snuffing muthi, or cutting your skin and placing the
muthi in the cut.
Of course the ancestors help guide these decisions as well.
Muthi
Muthi
There are places in
town where I saw
traditional muthi sold
I learned about Sangomas through my exchange in
South Africa because my host mom, who is white
South African, believed that western doctors had an
important place, however she though sometimes all
you needed to get better was to see a traditional
healer to find the root of the problem and balance it.
One of my friends at school has an uncle who is a
Sangoma as well.

South African public holidays are celebrated by the
Zulu people but they have some unique holidays as
well
Shakas day in September every year is a day
celebrating all the kings of the Zulu kingdom (the
present king Zwelithini of Swaziland included) on
this day cattle is slaughtered and people wear their
traditional Zulu attire and gather at the tomb of
Shaka. People from all over come to praise all Zulu
kings
Holidays

The Zulu people have celebrations for many things
like birth, puberty, marriage, and death. Typically a
sacrificial animal will be slaughtered to the ancestors
These ceremony's also include singing and dancing
to the beat of a drum and some dress up in
traditional clothing. Folklore may even be told
For puberty girls are separated for a time which
signals a change of status into adulthood and then
when they are re introduced to society an animal is
slaughtered and there is dancing and feasting. After
this ceremony they are ready for marriage.


Celebrations
Food
Beef and dairy is a key
part of Zulu cuisine
because the cattle
herds.
The food has a major
Indian and colonial
influence because other
cultures living in South
Africa.
Women brew beer.
It takes 3 days to do this first
steeping sorghum and maize
in water and letting it sit
Then the next day boiling it
and letting it sit. Adding it to
sorghum
Then the third day filtering it
and consuming it.
It is social and ritual to drink
beer
Beer
The ubantu (human) philosophy is to eat and drink from the
same plate, communally, showing friendship.

Dishes
Pap
Pap is a type of porridge
made from mielie meal. It
is very thick, and is a
staple food to many South
Africans. It is usually
eaten with other food
(such as sauce, meat or
vegetables)
Another type of pap is
Phutu which is a crumbly
form of porridge
Other foods include
Chakalaka is a spicy
vegetable relish eaten
with pap and other South
African dishes
Meat is typically braaied
or boiled
Amazi is curdled milk
Locally grown fruits and
vegetables are also eaten.


To date a man visits or sends a love letter or beaded message
declaring his love for a girl. The girl then tells him she loves him as
well then they can be seen together in public. The parents are only
informed when marriage proposal happens.
To get married the husband to be must pay the girl he wants to
marries family. This is called Lobola. Lobola is usually paid in cows or
money.
How much the man pays depends on the girls value such as if she is
an only child and has a good reputation more will be paid for her.
When the husbands family comes to discuss the marriage with the
wives family they will come to the home and say he wants to marry
the fathers daughter. The father will then bring out all his daughters
who will look down and the other family must say which daughter
without a close look at her. If they choose correctly lobola is
negotiated.
Pre wedding

After labola is paid a date for the wedding is set.
The bride buys gifts for her in laws and a goat is
slaughtered so the ancestors will protect her
The groom slaughters two cows and prepares food
On the wedding day the bride goes to the grooms
home in a blanket and never looks back.
She enters the house when no one is looking
They dress in traditional clothes and do traditional
dances at the wedding afterwards gifts are given and
a cow is slaughtered
Weddings

Polygamy is legal in South Africa and according to
Zulu beliefs.
President Zuma has multiple wives
Having many wives is a sign of the husbands wealth
If the wife is unfulfilling her father needs to pay
back the lobola.
The wifes responsibility is to bring up children, tend
fields, carry water, make pots, and brew beer

Marriage

Living conditions
Rural
Most Zulu people who
live in rural areas have no
electricity, water, good
education, or formal
housing.
Most of the extended
family all lives together
In South Africa illiteracy
is high but slowly
improving. This is
because the majority of
people can not afford
good education.


Urban
Some Zulu people live
in townships which are
towns on the outskirts
of industrial cities.
The conditions are
better than rural
conditions
Westernized
Traditional homes
Traditional houses are made with thatched
roofs and in a circular fenced structure.
Usually there are many houses together
because the whole family lives there.
Men are responsible for building the house
while women weave ropes and mats for the
inside of the home.
The floor is made from cow dung.
There is one low door.
These homes will last 10-15 years.


In traditional culture it is disrespectful to look at an
elder person in the eyes as they speak
When shaking hands or giving something you use
your right hand while placing your left hand under
your right elbow to show nothing is hidden
Customs

Boys look after the herds
all day. They play stick
fighting which shows the
influence of military on
Zulu culture.
Girls do chores like
carrying water, planting
and reaping crops,
making fire, cooking and
looking after her brothers.
The Zulu man is also
seen as the head of the
household, he holds all
the power.
Men enter rooms first to
make sure the room is
safe
Wives walk behind
men.
The wives are seen as
inferior to their
husbands
Men are served food
first, then women, then
sons, then daughters

Gender roles

Beware of the Tokoloshe. The legend of the
Tokoloshe changes slightly depending on the family,
but the Tokoloshe is a evil little monster. Parents tell
there kids about the Tokoloshe coming at night and
stealing things and if the children are out of bed he
will get them which encourages kids to stay in bed at
night and prevents them from going out as it is
dangerous. This is why most peoples beds are high
so the little monster cant get them. I have also heard
stories saying the Tokoloshe sits in the corner which
is why most homes are round.
Tales and Legends
My personal
experiences
Eunice shared her
home with me I was
able to see how most
rural Zulu people live
She had her nieces and
nephews and
neighbourhood kids
dance for us
She also dressed us up
in traditional beads
Ixoxo
My host mom is involved in a
foundation called Ixoxo
pronounced with two click
sounds meaning frog in Zulu. It
started because a small rural
school in Hilton were one of her
friends works at a preschool for
the Zulu kids trying to teach
them English. They then started
a fundraising campaign to send
some of the smart kids to a
proper school. I spent a day at
the preschool then driving
around picking up the kids.
For more information on Ixoxo
or if you are willing to donate
the official website is here

http://ixoxo.org/