Presentation by:
Ali
Janvi
Mohammad
Saayli
Vivanna
The Zulu habitat the African
continent
In the country of South Africa in the African Continent
Amongst the 9 provinces, Zulu
habitate the Kwazulu-Natal
province
Today the total population of Zulu is around 14 million people.
16th Century
The Nguni people migrated to current day KwaZulu-Natal in several small tribes.
One of them was Zulu, with population around 1000-1500.
19th Century
Under the rule of King Shaka, the kingdom prospers. Several small tribes become a part of Zulu.
The population was around 400,000.
Geography:
• The region borders the Indian
Ocean, making it a coastal region
with lush agricultural land.
• In land, the region is surrounded
by The Drakensberg Mountains,
providing rivers and estuaries.
• The Seasonal Cycle:
• Summer (December to
February)
• Autumn (March to May)
• Winter (June to August)
Social Structure
The King The Chief Homesteads
(iSilo) (iNkosi) (iMuzi)
• Zulu Kings serve as both political and military
leaders.
• Royalty is inherited, current King being a
descendant of King Shaka.
• They play major roles in political alliances.
• Zulu kings are known for their military prowess
and their unique strategies.
• After the Anglo-British war of 1879, the Zulu
kingdom was essentially dismantled.
• Today, the Zulu King serves more as a means to
preserve tradition, while having very less
The King political power.
(iSilo)
• Leadership and governance over the
community he takes care of.
• He makes decisions on disputes, social issues,
ensures laws are followed.
• Chief is the cultural and spiritual leader,
carrying out rituals, ancestral veneration and
hosts and overlooks festivals and such.
• He overlooks the economics of the community.
• Traditionally, chiefs were military leaders as
The Chief well, skilled warriors that were the King’s
weapons but today this aspect is lost.
(iNkosi) • If the community is major Zulu community,
then they are also advisors of the King.
• Homesteads are the smallest unit in the Zulu
community.
• Zulu families are patriarchal, typically led by
the sons of the family.
• Extended families live together, from uncles to
grandparents all together.
• Zulu practice polygamy, where a man typically
takes multiple wives. It is his duty to take care
of each wife and providing her with shelter and
family.
Homesteads • Their ways of practicing religious worship is
(iMuzi) through their ancestors, rituals and traditions
revolving around respecting the ancestors.
Economy and Livelihood:
Agriculture:
Crops like maize, sorghum,
pumpkins, and beans are cultivated.
Cattle Herding and
Pastoralism:
Cattle were important to Zulu culture and
hence it is one of the biggest industries.
Craftmanship:
Selling their colorful creations,
especially to tourists.
• The most well known Zulu architecture is the
Beehive huts.
• They are woven from saplings and grass.
• They provide insulation against the heat and cold.
• The thatched roofs are water-resistant.
• The structure is sturdy yet flexible, withstanding
strong winds.
• It is made of local materials such as reeds, wood and
iQukwane (Beehive Huts) grass.
Internal
Internal view of
frame of the
the hut frame
iMuzi: The Homestead
Characteristics: Cultural Relevance:
• Circular Structure: Huts are arranged in a • Zulu believe in the essence of
circular fashion with a central cattle kraal community, leading to such structures.
(isabaya). • They hold a strong connection to their
• A single extended family lives in one ancestors, hence why they value their
iMuzi. elders.
• The Patriarch/Head of the family gets a • The Isabaya signifies wealth as cattle
central, separate and bigger hut. and herding animals has been the
• The wives of the Patriarch get their occupation of their ancestors.
separate huts while extended family get • Most traditions and celebrations also
their own. take place in the Isabaya because of
• The central Isabaya’s size is a signifier of it’s spiritual relevance.
wealth. • Ancestral offerings and ceremonies
• The huts are surrounded by thorny bushes also take place in the Isabaya.
or wooden fencing for protection against
raids or wild animals.
Clothing (Women)
• An unmarried girl (intombi) wears only a short skirt
made of grass or beaded cotton strings.
• She wears nothing on top regardless of her size, weight,
small or large bosom. Zulus do not contribute any sexual
meaning to the naked breast, but rather to back of the
upper thigh.
• She then spruces herself up with beadwork. They also
keep their hair short.
• Once engaged, she will grow her hair out and cover her
chest as a sign of respect for her to-be family.
Clothing (Women)
• Married women cover their bodies completely.
• She wears a heavy knee length cow hide skirt. The hide
is treated until it is relatively soft, then the leather is cut
into long strips and sewn together.
• Over the skirt, a cloth that is decorated with
predominantly red, white and black is worn or draped
over. Beads are also worn over this.
• Married women also cover their chest with either
material or skin, although nowadays they tend to wear
vests or beaded bras.
• When a woman is pregnant she wears an ‘isibamba’, a
thick belt made from dried grass, covered with glass or
plastic beadwork, to support her swelling stomach and
its additional weight.
Clothing (Men)
• Traditional dress for men consists of animal skins and
feathers; the kind of skins indicates the status of the
person wearing them.
• Leopard skin is only worn by royalty and chiefs.
• A normal man is allowed to wear leopard skin on his
wedding day as a headband.
• The tufts of a cow’s tail (amashoba) are worn on the
upper arms and below the knee to make the person
appear broader than he is.
• The apron worn by men to cover their buttocks is called
‘ibheshu’, it is made from calf-skin, so it is soft and
easily processed. It comes in two different lengths:
• Young men wear one that is knee-length as it is more
practical for fighting, hunting and dancing.
• Older mean wear one that reach their ankles as they
do not readily partake in those activities.
Thousands of women gather to celebrate
their culture, purity and womanhood.
UMKHOSHI
WOKWESHWAMA
[FIRST FRUIT
FESTIVAL]
A harvest festival where the Zulu King
offers the first fruits to ancestors to
bless the land.
Artwork:
Zulu Pottery
Zulu Beadwork
Zulu sculpture
