Anthrpology

The Zulu Tribe Of South Africa Anthropology 101 April 8, 2013 Introduction The Zulu (African People) are the largest South African ethnic group, with an estimated 10–11 million people living mainly in the province of KwaZulu- Natal, also referred to as KZN is a province of South Africa. The term Zulu refers to Nguni speaking people in KwaZulu, the Zulu are a branch of southern the southern Bantu; The term Bantu is derived from the word for "people" common to many of the Bantu languages. In the early 19th century the Zulu clan was Created by Shaka, by uniting with the Nguni. Shaka was a son of Senzangakhona, ruler of an insignificant small chiefdom, the Zulu. The Zulu tribe raised cattle and farm corn and vegetables for subsistence purposes. The men and herd boys are primarily responsible for the cows, which are grazed in the open country, while the women do most, if not all, of the planting and harvesting, which made them agriculturists. In the following we will discus the beliefs and values, gender relations, kinship, sickness and healing and the political organization of the Zulu nation. We will discuss how culture impacts many aspects of Zulu life. Body The beliefs and values of the Zulu people believe in a creator god (Nkulunkulu), who is above interacting in day-to-day human affairs. It is possible to appeal to the spirit world only by invoking the ancestors (AmaDlozi) through divination processes. As such, the diviner, who is almost always a woman, plays an important part in the daily lives of the Zulu. It is believed that all bad things, including death, are the result of evil sorcery or offended spirits. No misfortune is ever seen as the result of natural causes. Another important aspect of Zulu religion is cleanliness. Separate utensils and plates were used for different foods, and bathing often occurred up to three times a day. Christianity had difficulty gaining a foothold among the Zulu, and when it did it was in a syncretic fashion. Isaiah Shambe, considered the Zulu messiah, presented a form of Christianity which incorporated traditional customs (1998, Art & Life Africa Online). Zulu men performing The Hunting Dance, this dance imitates the actions of hunting and the bravery it requires. This fiery dance is danced using sticks instead of spears to avoid injury and was danced before the hunt began. The girls also dance their own version but to welcome the men back from the hunt. The Zulu perform many dances that have meaning to them, such as the snake dance and many more which are traditional to their heritage. The Zulu believe in the strength of animals, and use spiritual dance as a way to take on the strength of the animals, the Zulu praise animals such as the bull, snake, lion and tigers. Another belief of the Zulu lies in art, art to the Zulu can express strength and love. Beads are a Zulu tradition, beaded jewelry is made to express forms of feelings. Red: Intense and jealous passion, Eyes red with watching for the beloved, Love; Blue: Thoughts that fly to the loved one, Loyal and true, Loneliness; Yellow: Jealousy; White: Purity and faithfulness; Black: A wish to wear the black leather skirt of marriage, Anger; Pink: Poverty, coolness; Green: Young, pining; Grey-blue: Send a message. I see the Zulu’s way of decoding colored beads is somewhat like a mood ring, each color has its own meaning. The Zulu also are known for their baskets and weaving. As seen here . Young women of the Zulu are taught at a young age how to make baskets, beads and weave. The Zulu traditions are plentiful and well rooted in their history and even in the current day, traditions in the Zulu tribe just as well as your own family traditions are taught at young ages and carried on throughout our generations. Economic Organization Pastoralism is a subsistence pattern in which people make their living by tending herds of large animals. The Zulu raise cattle and farm corn and vegetables for subsistence purposes. The men and herd boys are primarily responsible for the cows, which are grazed in the open country, while the women do most, if not all, of the planting and harvesting. A man's wealth was counted in cattle. Cattle provided the mainstays of the diet (meat and amasi, a form of soured milk), hides for clothing and shields, as well as the means of acquiring wives through lobola, or bride-price. In addition, cattle had enormous ritual value. Sacrifice of cattle was the principal means of propitiating the ancestors. The modern Zulu are poor, with agricultural yield below subsistence level. Women still till the fields, but most men travel to the towns seeking work. Cattle are still a symbol of wealth, although the holdings are low. Cattle are seldom slaughtered for meat—usually only for ritual occasions. According to Clarke and Ngobese (1975), poverty and malnutrition were so severe that the traditional robust Zulu physique is changing and the Zulu are "becoming a puny, stunted and mentally enfeebled people (http://www.everyculture.com/Africa-Middle-East/Zulu- Economy.html#ixzz2PvxwIUW0). The Zulu use their crops and herds to provide food, clothing, Household needs and for trading. The Zulu diet consists of Meat:Meat is roasted on coals, and is often left scorched almost black on the outside and very rare on the inside - inyama eyosiwe. Zulus also make a beef stew called inyama yenkomo. MILK, The Zulus drink amasi which is sour, curdled milk. They say it makes a man strong and desired. During taboos (e.g. menstruation or when there has been contact with death) the affected person must abstain from amasi. Milk is hardly ever drunk fresh ('green milk'), but it is sometimes used to thin amasi which has gone too thick to be used. MAIZE: Maize is a popular part of the Zulu's diet. One method of preparing it is to grind it to a meal, using a stone and a concave bowl to mill it. It is then cooked into a stiff, lumpy porridge which is eaten from chunks held in their hands(uphuthu). An alternative method is to shell the grain after it's completely dry, and to boil it for a day and eat it as a whole grain. They combine it with amasi when available, which makes it chewy. (isithambu) Food and Grain Storage Hut Corn on the cob (mealies) are roasted on coals. The mealies are eaten at the hard stage, when they are difficult to chew. BEANS The Zulus also eat dry beans boiled together with maize. Different areas prefer different beans, but in typical Zulu idiomatic and expressive style, some varieties are known as 'thundering buttocks'. Two of the most popular varieties are kidney beans (ubhomubhomu) and sugar beans (ubhonisi). The Zulu diet is minimal and consists of what is raised or grown. Sickness and Healing Zulu traditional medicines (or umuthi) have changed very little over the ages. The administrators of these traditions have various roles in the Zulu society. They are the inyanga or herbalist who is concerned with medicines made form plant and animals, the isangoma or witchdoctor who makes contact with the ancestral spirits and prescribes medicine according to their dictates and the isanusi who is a diviner capable of "smelling out" sorcerers and other evil- doers. Both the inyanga and isangoma must acquire their knowledge through a long apprenticeship, the isangoma however, must have been sacredly called to their profession, and have little choice when called. In modern society the status of these medicine men or woman has been translated into wealth. Most izinyanga (plural of inyanga) in urban areas have shops in which they have consulting rooms and from which they sell their medicines (http://library.thinkquest.org/27209/Healing.htm). The Zulu dosen’t have traditional doctors and hospitals like we have in America, Zulu people have used plants, animals and prayer as their primary forms of healing sickness. Kinship A Zulu wedding, like most African weddings, is vibrant with colors, music, dancing, and then some. There are other traditions when it comes to South African weddings but Zulu weddings are among the most popular because of the vast population of members of Zululand. When a Zulu girl is ready for marriage, her father will arrange a coming-out ceremony to introduce her to society and formally make her availability for marriage known. Among the Zulus, the bride has the upper hand. The bride goes and gets her groom. Once she gives her consent, the number of cattle that will be given to her father in exchange for her is negotiated. Beaded jewelry is the language of love in Zulu weddings. Brides-to-be will typically make two sets of bead necklaces in matching colors - one for herself and one for her groom-to-be. Their matching color-coded necklaces and bracelets will let everyone know that they are an item. The groom will give cattle to the bride's family. The cattle serve as insurance in the event of his death OR if he rejects her or leaves her unjustly. The cattle will be a source of financial support for her (and any children they may have had). This lobola i.e. bride price, also serves as a guarantee to the girl's father that he (the groom/husband-to-be) will take care of his daughter (http://www.africanweddingtraditions.com/zulu-wedding.html). Conclusion After researching the Zulu tribe, I have found that they share some of the same traditions and values as others. Being apart of any culture involves traditions and beliefs that will carried on throughout life. The impact of the Zulu culture has not been an easy one, their has been wars over land, their has been poverty and some triumphs. Just as in any culture the Zulu has prevailed and still stands as one of the oldest and strongest cultures in South African history. References: http://www.africanweddingtraditions.com/zulu-wedding.html http://www.library.thinkquest.org/27209/Customs.htm basketsofafrica.com/ ERIC A AKROFI EdD ,University of Transkei, South AfricaZulu indigenous beliefs: to what extent do they influence the performance,practices of isicathamiya musicians'(2011) Wikipedia.com Google.com Youtube.com Zulu. (2010). In The Hutchinson Unabridged Encyclopedia with Atlas and Weather guide. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/entry/heliconhe/zulu Zulu. (2002). In Greenwood Encyclopedia of International Relations. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/entry/abcintrel/zulu Bantu. (2008). In Philip's Encyclopedia 2008. Retrieved from http://www.credoreference.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/entry/philipency/bantu