Week 2 Blog post

 Zulu Population

Colonialism led to the conversion of many Zulu people to Christianity. However, despite the large number of converts to Christianity, traditional beliefs remain. Instead, there has been a blending of Christianity and traditional beliefs. Zulu religious practices place a high value on ancestral spirits, and they make offers and sacrifices to them in exchange for protection, good health, and happiness. Dreams, ailment, and even snakes are manifestations of ancestral spirits. Magic is also practiced by the Zulu. Malfortune, including disease and bad luck, is thought to have been sent by an enraged spirit. When this occurs, a traditional healer is enlisted for assistance. He or she will pray, consult with the ancestors, or employ natural remedies to remove the problem.

Oral tradition states that Malandela, the founding patriarch, founded the original Zulu chiefdom in the seventeenth century. Zulu, his son, is credited with giving him his moniker. They were referred to as the amaZulu, or "people of heaven," because the word "Zulu" meant "heaven." They made their home in an area that would later be known as KwaZulu-Natal, which was characterized by undulating hills, deep river gorges, and fertile grassland and was bordered to the west by the Drakensburg Mountains and to the east by the Indian Ocean.

Cleanliness is a significant component of Zulu religion. Food was served on separate utensils and plates, and bathing frequently occurred up to three times per day. It was difficult for Christianity to spread among the Zulus, and when it did, it did so in a mutually beneficial way. The Zulu messiah, Isaiah Shambe, preached a brand of Christianity that included old traditions.

Even though the Zulu are under official South African sovereignty, they frequently speak out against government policy. The country is still deeply rooted in de facto racism (black racism/tribalism), now even more so (2015) than during the Apartheid years, despite the fact that Apartheid as an institution was beginning to fall apart by 1994, and that extreme "Black Economic Empowerment" and "anti-white" policies had replaced the old "Apartheid." After 1994, a high crime rate, a weak, corrupt administration, and black prejudice succeeded apartheid. The ANC-led government has essentially undone all of Nelson Mandela's forward-thinking work for South Africa with his passing. Jacob Zuma, the president at the time, is working to make South Africa a one-party dictatorship.

The way that women dress reflects their marital status. A Zulu woman who is available and single displays her pride in her physique by flaunting it and donning skirts made of grass or cotton strings with beadwork. A married woman will cover her body to let people know that she is with someone else. As a symbol of respect for her in-laws, a Zulu lady who is engaged will grow her hair naturally and cover her chest with beautiful cloth. Umqhele (a headband worn by warriors), amambatha (a garment worn over the shoulders), ibheshu (a garment worn around the waist), umcedo (underwear worn to protect the genitalia), and imbadada (a garment worn on the foot) are the traditional Zulu garments for males. Fermented milk, known as amazi, is a delicacy that should only be shared.