Zulu
- This article is about the African ethnic group. For other meanings, see Zulu (disambiguation).
The
Zulu are an African ethnic group of about 5 million people who live mainly in
KwaZulu-Natal Province,
South Africa. Their language derives from
Bantu. Under their king,
Shaka, they expanded their kingdom in the early 1800s, from a minor clan of 1500 people to a great nation between the
Tugela River and the Pongola River, through conquest and assimilation. They were partly responsible for the
Mfecane - the catastophic forced migration of many clans around
Zululand. Famous for their conflicts with
Boer settlers and the
British army in the
1800s (eg. the
Anglo-Zulu War in
1879 where Zulus defeated British troops at
Isandlwana on
January 22.) Today they are known for their basketry and
beadwork and as
subsistence farmers. They have also brought their musical tradition to a world presence.
The singing styles the Zulu people and their
Nguni heritage are worthy of special mention. Like much of Africa, music is considered highly, enabling the communication of emotions and situations which could not be made by talking. Zulu music incorporates rhythm, melody and harmony - the latter is usually dominant and known as "isigubudu" (which can be translated as converging horns on a beast, with tips touching the animal - viz. spiralling inward, reflecting inner feelings).
Their language is
isiZulu.
In the Zulu language, Zulu means "heaven" or "sky".
See also
\n* Inkatha Freedom Party\n*
Zulu stick fighting\n*
Shaka Zulu\n*
List of Zulu kings\n*
Dingiswayo\n*
Ladysmith Black Mambazo
Category:Ethnic groups\nCategory:Zulus\nCategory:Zulu Kings\nCategory:South Africa
Zulu Warriors, late 19th century (with some Europeans in the background)