The Zulu Tribe
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The Zulu tribe are the largest South African ethnic group. The Zulu emerged from the Nguni group (part of the Bantu speaking nation) and have a close cultural and linguistic relation with other Nguni peoples including the Xhosa and the Swazi. The term “Zulu” originally referred to the descendants of a man of the same name, but later referred to an extensive population after the Mfcane period (a period of warfare among indigenous tribes in Southern Africa between the years of 1815 – 1840). The Zulu Kingdom played a major role in South African history during the 19th and 20th centuries.
The 9 million Zulu- speaking people live primarily in the KwaZulu- Natal province in South Africa. KwaZulu-Natal or the Zulu Kingdom is one of the nine provinces of South Africa and covers an area of about 92,000 square kilometres. It includes Durban, the Drakensberg, Pietermaritzburg and Midlands, Zululand, South Coast, Dolphin or North Coast, Battlefields and East Griqualand regions. KwaZulu- Natal is semi- fertile with a flat, coastal plain, highlands to the west and numerous geographical features including rivers and streams. The subtropical climate brings lots of sunshine and brief rain showers, perfect weather for growing crops.
The Zulu peoples have occupied the land of Kwa-Zulu Natal since the 300s – 400s when the Bantu Speakers reached the present day KwaZulu/Natal.
Zulu peoples have not had any contact with other African peoples/tribes. However, the Zulu peoples have had many other conflicts including the Zulu war, the Voortrekker- Zulu conflict and also the problems caused by apartheid.
The Zulu war occurred in 1879. It was a six-month war in eastern South Africa, resulting in the British Victory over the Zulus. Before the war the Tugela River formed the boundary between Zululand and the British Colony of Natal. Chetshwayo became king of the Zulus in the early 1870s. Unwilling to submit to the British dominance, he assembled an army of 40,000 – 60,000 Zulu men. Late in 1878 he received an ultimatum from Natal to disband his army or to face fines for alleged insults. He did not respond to this message, the British troops invaded Zululand. The Zulu army attacked the British troops, killing 800 soldiers and taking nearly 1,000 rifles. In July Cetshwayo was decisively defeated at Ulundi. Zululand then came under informal British control. It was annexed to Natal in 1887.
The Voortrekker- Zulu conflict came about when the introduction of British rule in Cape Colony in 1806 led to the dissatisfaction among the Afrikaners, resulting in a mass departure of Voortrekkers to the hinterland, where they aspired to govern themselves. After crossing the Drakensberg mountains and entering Natal, the trekkers came into conflict with some Zulu tribes when disputes arose over land ownership. The trekkers under the leadership of Piet Retief arrived in Natal in 1838, and during negotiations with the Zulu Kind Dingane the Voortrekker leader and 101 of his men were killed.
Throughout the twentieth century the Zulu peoples lives have been dominated by the South African policy of Apartheid (which is the racist doctrine of separate development, which discriminated