Myth of Iron: Shaka in HistoryOver the decades we have heard a great deal about Shaka, the most famous - or infamous - of Zulu leaders. It may come as a surprise, therefore, that we do not know when he was born, nor what he looked like, nor precisely when or why he was assassinated. In Shaka's case, even these most basic facts of any person's biography remain locked in obscurity. Meanwhile, Shaka's public image is seen as either monstrous or heroic. Shaka's image is a 'myth of iron' that is so intriguing, so dramatic, so archetypal, and sometimes so politically useful, that few have subjected it to proper scrutiny. Myth of Iron: Shaka in History is the first book-length scholarly study to be published. It lays out, as far as possible, all the available evidence - mainly hitherto under-utilized Zulu oral testimonies, supported by other documentary sources - and decides, item by item, legend by legend, what exactly we can know about Shaka's reign. The picture that emerges in this meticulously researched and absorbing 'anti-biography' is very different from the popular narrative we are used to. |
Contents
Stones from a distant grave The question of Zulu origins | 11 |
Under pressure Regional contexts c 1780 | 37 |
Behind the matting screen Birth c 1781 | 77 |
Copyright | |
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African amabutho amongst army assassination assegai attack BALEKA BALENI beads brother Bryant campaign Cape cattle Cele Chaka chief chieftain Chunu claimed Cloete death Delagoa Bay Diary Dingane Dingane's Dingiswayo DINYA evidence Farewell father fight Francis Farewell Fynn Fynn's Hamilton Hlubi ibutho imizi impi induna informant inkosi Isaacs Isaacs's isigodlo ivory izibongo izinduna iziYendane JANTSHI John Cane khonza khonza'd killed King kraal kwaBulawayo kwaDukuza Langeni later LUNGUZA Macingwane MADIKANE Magaye Makhedama Matiwane MAYINGA MAZIYANA MBOVU MELAPI Mfecane Mfolozi Mhlangana Mhlathuze MKANDO Mkhize MMEMI Mozambique Mpondo MQAIKANA Mthethwa Mzilikazi named Nandi NDHLOVU NDUKWANA Ndwandwe NGIDI Ngwane Notebook Ntungwa Owen Phakathwayo Phongolo Phongolo river political Port Natal Portuguese probably Qwabe raid regiment river Saunders King seems Senzangakhona Shaka Sikhunyane slaves Soshangane story Stuart and Malcolm Thembu Thukela Thukela-Phongolo Thuli trade Travels tribe umuzi warriors women Xhosa Zihlandlo Zulu Zwide