Zulu
The Zulu are located primarily in the northeast section of KwaZulu/Natal province, formerly called Zululand, in the Republic of South Africa. In the early nineteenth century king Shaka organized the Zulu into a powerful conquest state. Political organization was hierarchical with the king at the top who designated authority to chiefs of districts, and from them to homestead heads. The Zulu speak isiZulu, a language classified under what is known as the Nguni family of languages in South Africa. Traditionally the economy was based on horticulture and pastoralism, but by the twenty-first century agriculture has declined in importance with small-scale trading and the development of a money economy dominating.
Select the Culture Summary link above for a longer description of the culture.
Africa --Southern Africa
Lesotho
South Africa
Swaziland
FX20
47
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5292
Documents referred to in this section are included in the eHRAF collection and are referenced by author, date of publication, and eHRAF document number.
The Zulu file consists of 47 documents, all in English, covering a time span from about 1800 to the late 1990s. The basic orienting document in this file is Krige, 1965, no. 1, a general ethnography based primarily on works from the nineteenth century, and written in the ethnographic present. This ethnography is supplemented by the works of Shooter, 1857, no. 19, Grout, 1864, no. 36, and Krauss, 1969, no. 44, all of which deal with traditional ethnography and describe Zulu life at various times in the nineteenth century. Religion, symbolism, magic, divination, are extensively covered in this file and will be found in the studies of Ngubane, 1977, no. 2, Berglund, 1976, no. 8, Callaway, 1870, no. 12, Raum, 1973, no. 15, Lee, 1958, no. 20, Krige, 1969, no. 26, Bodenstein and Raum, 1960, no. 27, Fernandez, 1967, no. 29, Dutoit, 1971, 1971, nos. 33 and 34; Lugg, 1929, no. 35, Scotch, 1976, no. 41, and Rounds, 1982, no. 52.
Another major topic given much attention in this file is that of socio-political organization. Documents dealing with this aspect of Zulu culture are: Gluckman, 1955, 1940, nos. 5 and 21; Reader, 1966, no. 6; Krauss, 1969, no. 44; Golan, 1991, no. 54; Kuper, 1993, no. 55, and deHass and Zulu, 1994, no. 56. Culture history, with emphasis on the Anglo-Zulu wars of the mid nineteenth century, are covered in: Cettiwayo, 1978, no. 38; and Edgerton, 1988, no. 46.
For more detailed information on the content of the individual works in this file, see the abstracts in the citation preceding each document.
This culture summary is from the article "Zulu" by Pearl Sithole in the Encyclopedia of World Cultures Supplement, 2002, Carol R. Ember, Melvin Ember, and Ian Skoggard, eds. New York: Macmillan Reference, Gale Group. The SYNOPSIS and indexing notes were written by John Beierle in June 2004.
John Beierle
ABANTU ABAKHONZILE -- menials, dependants -- category 357
ABANTWANA -- princes and princesses -- category 565
ANC -- the African National Congress -- category 665
Cane-grower's Association -- category 474
Farmer's Association -- category 474
HLONIPA -- avoidance; respectful restraint --784, 571, 576
IBUNGA -- local council -- category 623
IKHANDA -- heads of royal homesteads -- categories 644, 701 (depending on context)
IMBONGI -- poet or bard -- category 5310
INDUNA of army -- category 701
INDUNA, "great" -- prime minister-- category 645
INDUNA, of ward -- categories 622, 634
INKATHA -- the Zulu National Cultural Liberation Movement -- categories 665, 668
INKOSANA -- heir-designate of the UMNUMZANE -- category 622
INKOSI -- the king -- category 643
INTANGA -- regiments -- categories 561, 701
INYANGA --herb doctor, medicineman -- categories 759, 756, 791
IPHOYISA -- "policeman"; modern equivalent of the UMNUMZANE -- category 622
ISANGOMA -- witchdoctor -- categories 754, 756, 791
ISIBONGO -- sib, clan, clan praise-name -- categories 614, 554, 551
ISICATHAMIYA -- a genre of Zulu dance and song -- categories 535, 533
ISIFUNDA -- ward group or super district -- category 634
ISIGODI -- neighborhood, district, or sub ward -- category 634
ISIGODLO -- members of the king's household -- category 644
ISIKUZA -- see ABANTU ABAKHONZILE
ISILOMO -- royal favorites of the highest status -- category 644
ISIQINTI -- sub ward or neighborhood -- category 634
ITHWASA -- diviner in training -- category 791
IZINDUNA -- traditional headman -- category 622
IZINYANGA -- diviners -- category 791
IZUNDUNA ZAMACALA -- INDUNAS of cases -- category 693
KHONZA -- patron-client relationship -- category 571
King's council -- category 646
LAAGERS -- defensive positions -- category 712
'NKULU YAMABUTHO -- great captain of the regiments -- category 701
South African Native Trust -- category 657
Tribal chief -- categories 622, 635
"Tribe" -- category 635
UGOGO -- grandmother -- category 603
UMNUMZANE -- head of KRAAL, descent group, or village head -- category 592
UMSENGI -- royal favorites of lower status -- category 644
UMUZI -- KRAAL, homestead, or village -- categories 592, 621 (depending on context)
USENDO (UMDENI, ABAZALUSANE) -- lineage -- category 613
John Beierle