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Zulu Tribe
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This paper provides a discussion of the Zulu tribe in what is now the ...... More...
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Paper Abstract:
This paper provides a discussion of the Zulu tribe in what is now the new South African state. The paper discusses government, rituals, rites of passage, social organization, employment, military, and family type among other aspects of the culture.

Paper Introduction:
Zulu Tribe The Zulu are an African tribe now subsumed within the State of SouthAfrica which traces its roots to the kingdom founded by King Shaka in theearly decades of the nineteenth century Laband ix That kingdom lastedonly a little over six decades before being overthrown in war broken intopieces and dispersed In that brief period however the Zulu exertedenormous influence over events in the region and wielded great militarypower This analysis will discuss various aspects of Zulu government society and culture

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Shaka: King of the Zulus. A chief, says Laband (1 ), acquired power and wealth by"aggressively raiding" the livestock of others and thereby also gainingmore land and supporters. "The Zulu Petit Bourgeoisie and Zulu Nationalism in the 192 s." Journal of Southern African Studies 16(3), (Sep. In the new South Africa Inkatha continues to demand greater autonomyand a larger role in government for the Zulu. Cohen (1 ) maintains that the Zuluwere initially a small branch (numbering no more than 1,5 at the end ofthe eighteenth century) of the "Nguni-speaking" segment of the Bantu. Cope (4) states that "monarchial and nationalist" sentimentsremained embedded in the hearts and minds of the non-dispersed Zuluthroughout British rule and into the Afrikaner apartheid era. This analysis will discuss various aspects of Zulu government,society, and culture. New York: Doubleday, 1973.Cope, Nicholas. In that brief period, however, the Zulu exertedenormous influence over events in the region and wielded great militarypower. Zulu"kraals" or compounds were scattered in a small area in what is now part ofSouth Africa, and the Zulu (whose name came from a king and translates as"People of the Heavens") were completely in the shadow of their morepowerful neighbors, particularly the "Mtetwa" (Cohen 11). Shaka remains the group's greatestcultural leader and icon. Laband (9) states that the "umuzi," or the home and property of themarried male and his family, was "nothing less than the whole Zulu socialsystem in miniature." Each "umuzi" was essential self-sufficient,supported by its own labor, which was divided along sexual lines. Laband (58) has described the social organization of theZulu as one which strived for the maintenance of centralization; Shaka,"more than his forbearers and more effectively than his successors,"recognized that the power and might of the Zulu could only be achieved bycentralizing power in the hands of the king. One of the mostimportant rituals among the Zulu was the caring for the cattle of the clan,the path young Zulu males took to adulthood. Thechief of a clan typically left the bulk of his goods to the eldest son ofthe great wife, who then created an extensive kinship network by takingmany wives and producing more children. Ritually, the cattle that were kept by the Zulu, the persona of theZulu king, and both the hunt and battle were of "enormous significance"(Laband 5). A number of Zulu clans would forma loose confederation around a powerful and wealthy chief, creatingchiefdom. That kingdom lastedonly a little over six decades before being overthrown in war, broken intopieces, and dispersed. Thus a monarchy, the king ofthe Zulu was also an ideological figure that related Zulu identity to"inkatha," the physical and spiritual persona of the royal leader (Cope432). Zulu traditions and culture (especially herding) have provento be extremely resistant to change. Harries (112) argues that throughout the pastcentury, the Zulu royal house, "in both the ideological and the practicalsense, has served as the focal point of nationalist goals." It has playeda crucial role in the reconstruction of Zulu national unity, a role that itcontinues to occupy today. The Zulu are again unitedunder the banner of the king, and Inkatha serves as the political arm ofthe monarchy. Zulu Tribe The Zulu are an African tribe now subsumed within the State of SouthAfrica, which traces its roots to the kingdom founded by King Shaka in theearly decades of the nineteenth century (Laband ix). The Rise and Fall of the Zulu Nation. Inkatha has worked to capitalize upon thisunity and the symbols that support it and make it real in the eyes of theZulu people.Works CitedCohen, Daniel. Under the leadership of King Shaka, the Zulu would also develop acult of physicality, and the Zulu warrior was a fierce and universallyfeared fighter. Eachwife had her own hut for herself and her children, and a "great wife" ruledthe females of the home while her husband ruled the unit (Laband 1 ). 199 ): 431- 452.Harries, Patrick. Society was organized around pastoral pursuits with the Zulumaintaining strong ties to the land. "Imagery, Symbolism and Tradition in a South African Bantustan." History and Theory 32(4), (1993): 1 5-112.Laband, John. Laband (437)notes that at the turn of the nineteenth century, the Zulu continued tolive much as they always had - "wearing traditional dress, living inscattered kraals and umuzi, focusing their economic activities on livestockand herding, and resistant efforts to force them into agriculture." TheZulu National Congress, later named "Inkatha," was formed to promote theinterests of the Zulu, a role it plays today in the wake of apartheid (Cope439). London: Armour, 1997.

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