The Scramble for Africa which began in the 1880s has been largely blamed for disrupting and eroding the cultural practices and traditions of Africans. Africans have maintained that colonialism and imperialism served to entrench Western values while undermining their way of life. The rise of African nationalism since the end of colonisation imbued those who saw modernity as a threat to their culture to actively guard against external influences on their way of life. Often these cultural extremists were not able to draw a clear distinction between the progressions of humanity as a result of technological impact and modernity and deliberate acts that serve to undermine the African way of life.
The technological superiority of the Western is often misinterpreted as suggesting cultural superiority over Africans to the extent that Africans themselves reject modernity in other instances as they perceive that to be undermining their culture. The problem also lies with Westernised Africans who reject African culture in favour of Western values and religion and are unable to appreciate the richness of their own culture while continuously redefining certain traditional practices as humanity evolves and the world around changes.
It is perhaps important to attempt to define what “culture” is as opposed to “tradition” as it has become apparent that some cultural extremists are unable to see the difference. Culture itself primarily refers to the value system and shared attitudes that characterise a group of people or society, their human expression and the way in which they perceive and interpret the nature of the world around them.
Cultural practices have a particular meaning that speaks to the values we embrace as a people. The content and meaning of culture as projected through certain practices should never change nor be compromised but the tradition through which such cultural meaning or values find expression does evolve. Tradition ensures continuity of culture and its transmission from one generation to the next and with each generation certain traditional practices which are considered archaic and irrelevant will ordinarily be abandoned. It is not a given that the latest generation will enthusiastically inherit some of these practices from the former without questioning them. With each generational change comes a new form of cultural expression, often to the horror of cultural extremists who stubbornly refuse to adapt to changing circumstances despite facing the risk of rendering themselves primitive.
To make a practical example of the above, let us look at the cultural practice of paying lobola. This is a traditional custom aimed at uniting two families together, those of the groom-to-be and bride-to-be. This is a form of expression of gratitude by the groom-to-be’s parents to their family for having presented them with a wonderful and beautiful future daughter-in-law while the groom-to-be communicates to his future parents-in-law that he is capable of supporting and taking care of their daughter.
Traditional lobola payment was in the form of cattle because in olden days before the emergence of plastic money, cattle were the primary source of wealth. Today the dictates of modern times have rendered cattle as payment irrelevant to the extent that the uncles who have embraced these advancements have speedpoint machines to accept lobola through credit-card payments. Despite these changes in traditional practices, the cultural significance of lobola has not changed.
It is important that when we defend certain traditional practices we understand what informed them from the onset and that we do not shoot off blindly on a tangent and claim that our culture is facing some external onslaught.
It appears that the Zulu monarchists have by their behaviour projected themselves as being cultural extremists who, despite the progression of time, wish to stubbornly uphold certain traditions. Ukweshwama is a traditional thanksgiving that has been practised by the Zulu nation for time immemorial before the harvesting of crops. According to the tradition no crops may be harvested until they are blessed by the king and his sangomas. At his traditional ceremony Zulu warriors kill a bull barehanded by strangling it to death. Perhaps during the days of King Shaka such display of heroism by Zulu warriors was much more relevant as the era was about the survival of the fittest. What purpose does this practise serve in modern times? Are those men who display their brute force and cruelty to a defenceless animal considered warriors? Is this for the amusement of the Zulu king or to stroke his royal ego? Are there even any crops to be harvested?
The hysteria that has met the court challenge by Animal Rights Africa (ARA) is unwarranted. Almost every black person I heard comment on the issue took a defensive position claiming “their” culture was being undermined by “these whites”. The issue has morphed from a debate about Ukweshwama to racial mudslinging.
The arrogance of the Zulu royal family in refusing to address this issue has not been too helpful, even more so that ARA is represented by an outspoken white man. It is an idiotic debate which could have been resolved between the ARA and the Zulu royal family without the involvement of the courts. The biased involvement of the ANC’s Commission on Religious and Traditional Affairs into this bull saga is also unnecessary as it further entrenches the false perception that an African culture is under threat.
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72 Responses to “Ukweshwama: What is all this bull?”
Defending an action on the basis of culture presupposes the fact that everyone who is affected subscribes to the same cultural norms and values. In our multicultural and democratic environment, surely the time has come to re-evaluate what we call a cultural/traditional behaviour according to the standards of society at large. If the vast majority of the members of the society object to a practice, then it should be prohibited. Of course, if this is anathema, the relevant party could always secede…..
It is amazing that you write a peace like this that contradicts itself and practices self-hating cultural bigotry.
Why don’t you as a black person go settle in Spain and start a Animal Rights Europe (ARE) and argue against the world famous bull run in Pamplona. Whilst you at it tell King Juan Carlos I of Spain that he is arrogant and that these bull runs are only held to stroke his ego.
The bull run involves anyone running in front of bulls that have been let loose on a course of a sectioned-off subset of a town’s streets. The bulls run to the bullring where they would be killed in the evening. Every year between 200 and 300 people are injured during the run. Since 1910, 15 people have been killed in Pamplona.
Only one bull is killed barehanded by Zulu warriors without the bull running half a mile and bull fighting before its death. If Zulu warriors elect to kill a bull by a knife or barehanded it is still going to die and taste the same.
South Africa has many challenges and serious issues of animal cruelty that ARA can concern itself about without provoking cultural sensitivities and trying to dictate other peoples cultural traditions which they do not understand.
You yourself are not Zulu and thus your intepretation of this Zulu culture is not first-hand and is distorted. You need to be humble and not dish out your insults willy nilly.
The torture and cruelty targeted towards a animal to satisfy the pleasures, whims, cultures or whatever you want to call it is sickening and evil. I bow my head in shame being a member of mankind
Good article Sentletse. It seems that every controversial debate in South Africa is automatically polarising people into racial camps, when in fact in this case it’s an issue of “modern” versus “traditional”. Similarly, banning the sometimes violent initiation ceremonies for 1st year students at old white universities led many whites to feel that this was a black attack on good old fashioned uni tradition…
We really need to fight this growing tendency to see everything in terms of race.
On the lobola issue, I’m not so sure of the merits of this anymore. In my Transkei village there are many young guys of marriage age who are unemployed, uneducated and from single mother households and can’t afford the 10 cows (R45,000) needed for lobola. Thus they’re becoming a parallel generation having kids out of wedlock and not taking on full fatherhood responsibilities. I’ve seen a few girls forced to marry wealthy/older men, because their true love didn’t have enough/any cows.
The animal is not merely strangled to death (gross violence even if it were so), there is evidence supporting the claims made by animal welfare and animal rights groups as to the brutal manner of the bull’s death.
If you go to www.nspca.co.za there is a record of the NSPCA’s actions over the last couple of years along with a response to those attempts to meet with the relevant parties to discuss the welfare problems associated with the First Fruits Festival.
International research has established a link between violence against animals and violence against people, all you have to do is google “First Strike”.
So perhaps the question should be: “Is there a high level of violence in areas where violent cultural traditions are practised?”
And of course, is the strongest or the weakest bull chosen? If the latter, then what does that do to the original cultural value of the tradition?
Good thought provoking article by the way.
Hallow perspective once again from the famous sentletse or should i say ms cope. You ought to have the inside and having researched enough about this topic before attacking zulu monarch. The zulu king is not the person who decide how to run the nation, afterall chickens, cows and even pigs are killed daily but noone comes to their defence the least being yourself. I would appreciate if you could get both sites of the coin before you write bulls&^t about our people [by the way i am not zulu but i can teach you 1 or 2 things on Ukweshwama, or maybe is the culture developing within the ranks of copycats/cope.
Simon (one eye only) on December 5th, 2009 at 12:19 pm
The arrogance of the Zulu royal family in refusing to address this issue has not been too helpful? if they entertained ARA who knows what would have followed!
1. SPCA versus the Zulu royal family?[to curb traditional hunting using dogs]
then the Girl Child Network versus the Zulu royal family?[to prevent umhlanga]
then the christian groups versus the Zulu Royal family?[to prevent isithembu]
the zulu royal family handled it well by ignoring the ARA and their backers, they would have sent a wrong signal if they had entertained their publicity stunt which media like you are perpetuating!
Sentletse thank you for this extremely enlightening article. I am a 4th generation South African and believe my cultural beliefs are primarily african. The distinction you make between culture and heritage really helped me understand the current issues. I also believe that all living things have a right to life and protection as they were created by our creator. To abuse a life created by our creator is to abuse our creator. Do we have to blindly adopt culture and/or heritage just because we were born to a particular religion, language or racial group? Can we not look at and question the things our parents tried to convince us to believe? My parents believed that whites were superior to other race groups. So did the big chief in government when I was born. I rejected that in the same way as many other racial groups resisted classifying all palefaces as racists. There are still those who wish to keep these precepts alive, such as Eugene Terreblanche and Julius Malema. Lets use our best endeavours to bring these people into the centre of what we call “African culture”.
Sentletse, you have written a very good and open ended article, which I think will serve as an education to those you brand as extremists, and also the ignorant ones who believe that their beliefs (both archaic and modern) reign supreme.
As far as I’m concerned, these ARA people are stupid and ignorant of other cultural beliefs other than theirs.
Why are they not advocating for the closure of butcheries, abbattoirs or even these sea food restaurants?
Surely it has little to do culture or tradition - it is about being humane.
In the past people who trangressed certain laws faced death or worse. This has been seen by many as barbaric and has been stopped in many places around the world.
Even when someone has confessed to, and been found guilty of, the most horrendous of crimes, Western countries that still have the death penalty will dispatch the criminal in the most humane way possible.
If this practice is to prove the man’s strength pitted against the bull, should there not be some form of matching the odds so that the bull is not at a disadvantage. Does he get herded in by a group of helpers so the ‘man’ is still fresh. What implements of death is he allowed to carry/use.
Irrespective of the curcumstances, we should be beyond ‘proving’ that we are capable of distroying life, just because we can. We are the custodians of the creatures and as such should nuture them, and if killing is necessary, it should be done quickly, humanely with no loss of dignity on either side.
All the drivle about labola etc. has no bearing on the matter, nor was is it a race thing until you made it such.
But I guess you’ve made up your mind that it is OK, as long as you’re not on the receiving end of having life taken from you in this way
This article is interesting because people don’t ever talk about the rural SA. All the stories about SA are about what’s going on in the urban centers and this is the great divider in this country. The Europeans coming to Africa has change the culture forever and the black Africa that exist before the arrival of the Europeans is gone with the wind. We in the US had the same problem with the Southern culture that is now gone with the wind.
In my culture, many hundreds of years ago, we burnt people at the stake for being “witches”. Fortunately we stopped doing that! Sentletse, you argue the case well. Why are we still torturing others and claiming it is “our culture”?
Surely it has little to do culture or tradition - it is about being humane.
In the past people who trangressed certain laws faced death or worse. This has been seen by many as barbaric and has been stopped in many places around the world.
Even when someone has confessed to, and been found guilty of, the most horrendous of crimes, Western countries that still have the death penalty will dispatch the criminal in the most humane way possible.
If this practice is to prove the man’s strength pitted against the bull, should there not be some form of matching the odds so that the bull is not at a disadvantage. Does he get herded in by a group of helpers so the ‘man’ is still fresh. What implements of death is he allowed to carry/use.
Irrespective of the curcumstances, we should be beyond ‘proving’ that we are capable of distroying life, just because we can. We are the custodians of the creatures and as such should nuture them, and if killing is necessary, it should be done quickly, humanely with no loss of dignity on either side.
All the drivle about labola etc. has no bearing on the matter, nor was it a race thing until you made it such.
But I guess you’ve made up your mind that it is OK, as long as you’re not on the receiving end of having life taken from you in this way
No such culture ever existed under Shaka or anyone else.
King Goodwill supposedly “re-introduced” this.
Can you quote any proof at all that this practice ever existed?
Why would the Zulus who were nomads have a “First Fruits” festival when they grew no fruit and no crops?
This is Kwanza (American Black Power Fake Culture). Google the word “Kwanza” or read Pallo Jordan’s mother’s biography. Kwanza was a fake “African” culture created in the 1960s
That was great, Sentletse, thank you. You restore my faith in human beings.
Mike, please repeat 10x:
White people are in the minority and thus the vast majority of the members of the (?) society probably don’t object to the practice, so it is unlikely to be prohibited.
The court ruled in favour of the King on the basis of testimony given that the killing of the bull does not constitute the cruelty that was being alleged.
This is the only issue at stake. the whole case is not an attack AIMED at Zulu culture, it is an action on principle that gratuitous cruelty towards animals is morally wrong. there is more than one philosophy or worldview that could lead to this view. And we have laws that encapsulate that particular sense of morality.
So, can someone tell me what actually goes on before and during the killing of the bull? What is done afterwards is logically and legally irrelevant (unless it affects unwilling participants or children in a harmful way).
However, I am curious that every defendant of the practice has gone on to say how important this practice in the cultural and religious sense for Zulu people. Why do they bother with this?
It is a sufficient defence to say that the killing itself is not cruel (or no more cruel than an abbatoir - that so few of us bother ourselves with). So why go on to talk about the imprtance of the ritual? is it to act as a smokescreen? is it true that the killing is (relatively) un-cruel?
Culture is one thing that if not challenged head on, will completely hamper the progress already made of democracy, the rule of law, and modernity. Yes, I do agree that it is more of who we are, but culture has that tendency of inertia. If SA has to compete in a modern day wolrd, certain cultural activities has to be avoided at all cost. Culture/ tradition has such a bad history in Africa. To this day Kenyans cannot see eye to eye because of tribal cultures that are fiercely challenging each other. If we truely regards ourselves as South Africans, then we have to do away with our traditional cultures that continues to divide this country in ethnic lines. Culture is that hidden snake that most politicians likely will use during campaigns.
@SD for me the point at issue here is the treatment of bull. The treatment of the bull, a sentient creature just as we are sentient creatures, is abusive and in my view no sentient being should abuse another sentient being no matter what the justification given.
TAXPAYERS not only Zulus pay for HIS royal, luxurious lifestyle. Therefore, whites can voice their right to freedom of speech.
“The arrogance of the Zulu royal family in refusing to address this issue has not been too helpful, even more so that ARA is represented by an outspoken white man. ”
WHY did he refuse to meet ARA ?
This festival is discussed world wide.
We as a nation, are shamed and condemned -
due to the culture of one of 11 tribes.
King says they “love their animals.”
SO:
Its okay to torture, in the cruelest, most primitive, method for up to 40 mins before it ends with death ?
Why twist the testicles ?
Why pull the tongue and stuff the mouth with sand ?
Why gouge out the eyes of the Bull ?
40 brave young men jumping on the helpless animal.
Do these acts equate “devotion and gratitude ?”
BTW - why are devoted Nguni dogs living in starvation, beaten senseless, maimed in hunting and then deprived of the meat they “worked” for ?
This is uncivilised Animal cruelty deserving condemnation.
It is not the ritual that civilised people condemn - its the primitive method.
The “special” bull should be treated with respect and can be stunned by SPCA inspectors. The “culture” can continue without the Bull endure the excruciating pain.
OR is its PAIN the “culture?”
This is not RACIST but “civilised life.”
M&G if this is “moderated” I will know that Freedom of Speech is dead.
The Zulu King said “This gives us a place among other nations. It informs us of who we are, where we are coming from and where we are going.” Interesting comment. Clearly the Zulu nation does not intend to be accepted into the global famiy of nations which has a certain moral code that excludes violence, disrespect, inhumanity, and which displays some understanding of logic, intellectual progress and a striving for betterment. The Zulu people cannot have it both ways - if you behave like you are still in the Middle Ages, then don’t be surprised when people look down on you. If you want to have respect of other nations in the year 2010, then you need to conform to the basic norms and standards that we all try to observe (UN Conventions). HHmmmm, I wonder if cruelty to an animal is going to help with the AIDS epidemic in KZN, or the low literacy levels, or the huge unemployment rate? Probably not, but at least it will take the people’s minds off the lack of delivery of basic services, and the fact that the King squanders R50 million a year on himself. Never mind culture, it sounds like an avoidance tactic to me, designed to keep the King right where he is, which is exploiting the people. Interesting that this “Cultural Custom” was only heard of when he came to power. Does anyone have evidence that it was around in the 18th century??
It is a shame that little or no research at all is ever done before publishing articles like these… trying to meet deadlines maybe?. The writer for instance, hasn’t said anything about consulting any of the Zulu household’s elders nor advisers to the King to verify his “facts”, which simply means this article is just another clueless opinion.
On the other hand, some of the respondents have came out quoting “Google” and “websites” as apparent “source of evidence” of cruelty on an African practice. Writer’s information on the “iLobolo” as well is very shameful and misleading. He practically shows how much exposure he has had to the practice and how much more he’s heard about it, which I’m not going to go into detail since I don’t have a lot of “words” left to type.
Anyway, I strongly believe that an articles strength doesn’t come from “thought-provoking” uninformed analysis and conspiracy theories but the solidness of the source of information, relevant consultations and yes, being able to keep personal opinions and views clearly separate from facts.
Judge Nic van der Reyden dismissed the application by the ARA in the PMB High Court. He said he was satisfied with the evidence of a cultural expert, Professor Jabulani Mapalala, that the ARA’s objection to the ritual was based on UNTRUE INFORMATION AND HEARSAY.
Sibonelo Thabede on December 6th, 2009 at 10:25 am
The only relevant issue here was whether the killing of the bull was done in an inhumane way or not.
If it was done in a way that caused too much unnecessary suffering then this debate of tradition versus modern attitudes would have been appropriate. However the court found that it was not inhumane and so the argument is avoided.
The arguments which talk about chickens, pigs, etc getting slaughtered everyday were irrelevant as these are normally slaughtered as quickly and painlessly as possible. Similarly, I can’t see how the Spanish Bull Run is relevant here as I doubt any of the posters are Spanish nor would any of them think it is a humane sport…
Lastly, the poor Crayfish, yes I also wondered about this - but it seems that various studies have shown that boiling them is not cruel due to the undeveloped nature of their nervous system… shoo.
Sentletse - I think you deserve the Nobel Prize for good journalism especially for the last paragraph. (Plus a medal for bravery)
People need stand back and think with clear heads on how to move forward, especially in a volatile country like ours with its history of brutality and injustice and easy polarisation of issues.
see here i am Tamil - it is haraam for us to spill cow blood or eat beef - but i fully support this ritual - because it is not a Zulu ritual, it is a Tamil ritual that the Zulu people learnt from us prior to the colonisation of africa. we slaughter goats, sheep, roosters before the harvest (pongal 15th Jan) in any event cruelty to animals only applies if the animal has no sporting chance (and my money would be on the bull to gore one soldier to death) and if the animal doesnt die as painlessly as possible. now our soliders were never taught to torture people to death… we prefer quick, sharp, assegai strikes (thats why it was shortened) so whats the problem…
and try to find out about the purpose of demonstrating the power (mastery) over the herd animals… and ask what is the significance of NKUNZI… and then look at this… what happens to the heart of the bull… who eats it?
the real debate must be why the Imibatho dont have to demonstrate their mastery over mGungundlovu? is it because this is the power of the king alone? and that the Nkunzi is power of the soldiers… and what better way to attain the power of Nkunzi than by eating beef?
hindus will decry this citing Nandi (Siva’s Bull) slaughter as heinous - but in this context Nandi must be seen as mGungundlovu rather than Nkunzi…
and when the spanish and french breed fighting cattle, and the matadors kill the bulls - thats ok… cos theyre white people… with ancient cultures… but we SAVAGES (to quote Ravi Govender of Lotus FM and The Post) must be stopped on the basis of animal rights… yeah right… INDORACISTS come in all hues its seems.
silence the hypocrites and rebuild His Majesty’s army (imibatho)… we the Sovereign Kingdom of KwaZulu have the right to rise again and reclaim our empire… PHAMBILI weMFACANE PHAMBILI !!!
talk about playing the, “culture card”. In Tanzania Albino’s are hunted and killed for their skin which is supposed to have “magical powers”. Would you argue that this be allowed because it is, “cultural”. How for does one take these things?
1) It spreads the causes for South Africa - and indeed Africa - to be the butt of global ridicule (Why should it all be Malema, Manyi, The Zed, Buffoona Buffoona & Manto’s liver?),
2) It proves that our leaders don’t just TALK bull, they KILL bull (Vol. III), and
3) most importantly, the court ruling has opened the gates for the revival of all the heinously oppressed religious and cultural customs modern society hypocritically looks down upon. Us Mayans can now slaughter babies again to the Sun God and play uluma with the heads of our enemies, Druids can slit the throats of ejaculating men to the Harvest Goddess, and Shaka’s Rock can become as popular for tourists as Boulder Beach or Hermanus. Yippee - progress at last!
Sentletse, You claim to be a self proclaimed judge of our African cultures while you do not even understand that our constitution protects all the cultures whether big or small. By the way, you`re not even qualified to spit rubbish about the zulu cultural practice of Ukweshwama because not only are you not zulu but also naive about the zulu culture. If you`re indeed worried about the practice of Ukweshwama, the first place to start is KFF, Nandos, McDonalds, butcheries etc. You`re indeed contradicting yourself. It doesn`t matter how zulus slaughter a bull as much as it does not matter how people catch fish, slaughter chickens and so forth. If you`re serious about your lunatic aguement, then cease eating any meat because according to you it`s evil and primitive for people to slaughter their bulls. Let me pause Sentletse aka Cope hipocrite. Shame on you with your unguided and confused Cope agenda!
You base your article on a correct framework but unfortunately you lace it with fallacy.
I sense a desire to please certain sections by posing as defender of reason, but you do this by attacking a subject you do not have any passion about. Thus your knowledge of the subject is conspicuously wanting. This neither makes you a liberal nor a thought leader.
It is correct that we shouldn’t equate just about any critique to racism. It is correct that that some traditions must change with time. These are abstract truths that can never be challenged in their pure form without context.
UKweshwama is not a tradition created by the reigning Zulu king, so it was not born of his ego. It may be useful to gain an appreciation of the WHY before we demand reforms. If we do that, these reforms will be useful and helpful to the Zulu people. I am not sure if yourself & ARA care about what would have been the fate of this tradition if ARA won the court challenge
If we are really evolved as human beings, we would work at finding a compromise that delivers a WIN-WIN solution. This require compromises from all parties concerned. So we must learn to argue from both sides of the table. I therefore wish to submit, to this newspaper, a coherent view outlining concerns from both sides, and possible scenarios that can help us achieve an amicable solution - not judgment of who is right or wrong
Well said but a lot of research is still needed this information supplied here is not sufficient. It should be noted on rankings as to who approaches a king and the necessary protocols that needs to be followed, shall we now question the ritual or its relevance at this time and age or shall we only look at the act of killing the bull?
I pause to dispel any notion that seeks to undermine the rationale behind the ritual especially from people that are not close to it. In as much as we are progressing towards western way of living some basics of our tradition and culture may not change. Your contrast of culture and tradition and heritage is insufficient to disqualify some acts and rituals. Most african rituals were passed from generation to generation by word of mouth so using technology to date them back is not a good idea as it might give biased and inaccurate findings, lest you are well informed one must reserve intution as this is a matter of well guarded facts and proven truths
I am feeling so guilty…NOT! I killed two sheep and delivered eight others for slaughter today and to me its no big deal because thats what humans do and therefore humane. If my english is messed up blame it on me not my education. Humans eat meat and to do that animals have to die, how they die we decide not some ARA or SPCA folks. If it is against the law then we must change the law because the law must serve us not lord over us. And they dare talk about morality…Go to the squatter camps etc and tell I how moral and humane that is. How can we let humans live in such conditions? Take care of humans first then worry about them animals. Culture, tradition? We know that when black people are being told (by whites in white or black skins) to review their culture/tradition what is meant is that they must accelerate their assimiliation into whiteness. We want to do our ish and we damn going to do it however we like, by fire by force! Relevance? Please…How relevant is Christmas, New Years, Freedom Day, Day Of Reconciliation or even elections. They add no value to our lives. So if relevance is to be used as a criterion then we’d be ridding ourselves of a lotta bulldust, starting with parliament I hope.
The poor beast took TWENTY MINUTES to die in panic and pain. Now that’s an eye-witness’s account. No court can “decide” that this is swift and painless when it quite obviously is the exact opposite.
Only the naive believe that a court’s decision miraculously turns fiction into fact.
Besides, the court wasn’t asked to judge whether the suffering of the tortured beast was painful or humane. The court merely had to decide whether the painful torture ought to be allowed or not, in the name of a grim travesty of so-called “culture”.
If you want to kill crayfish humanely do NOT dump them in boiling water. Put them in the deep freeze where they actually go slowly into a permanent sleep.
Like with any animal killed humanely - the difference can be tasted in the flesh, which is always more succulent and less tough.
@ avishkar
PHAMBILI weMFACANE PHAMBILI !!! - no translation line Zulu Dictionary.
Please help with definition. If it is rallying call - against whom ?
CAVEAT
What Empire ? “The Lost” one Sun City ?
The Zulu empire is; has been KZN not so ?
The king as the “oldest royal dynasty” reigns, not so ?
ANC rules not so ?
Want to be rid of them so King can govern ? Eish !
Phambili = power ?
Mfecane = a maiden told her nation to KILL ALL cattle for some reason. The people died of starvation. Culture ?
Afrikaner volk did not inter-marry. I believe that is also an African inter-Tribal custom.
Apartheid “separateness” a culture condemned.
Slavery, Brit superiority - all condemned and CEASED.
Yet Zulu Culture is untouchable ?
I’m a confused old lady in a divided country.
Caveat : United we stand - Divided we fall !
Ag. ja. nee, well. no fine !
Amakhosi (eGoli) 3 - Umgungundhlovu (Msunduzi) 1 at King Senzanzakhona (Moses Mabhida) stadium yesterday… those of us who know whats what… thank you for the Blood of the Bull… weNkunzi… Inkhulukulu Makhulu… masiya phambili sonke
Can we for a minute explore the following? The hunting of wild animals for fun or trophies in our local game reserves. The bull run as Madoda has pointed. What about the famous Italian bull fighting? Then there is the Amrican cow boy rodio shows.
It is amazing that the author touched on western colonialisim of Africa at the begining and narrow mindedly forgot to draw parallels with relevance of the western animal killing as part of entertainment or games in mordern days.
I guess I am trying to ask a question indirectly as to whether these primitive games I mentioned above are still relevant and if not why are they not subject to scrutiny and critism?
The only thing I can say about African culture espacially those traditions that involve animal slaughtering or sacrifise are all purpose driven and the meat eventually gets eaten. The culture does not satisfy or solely focus on entertainment. We also don’t hunt for fun, on the contrary we do it for food.
At last an intelligent article that tries to address the issues rather than just defensive racial mud-slinging. All too often, black people take any criticism of their leaders or cultural practices as being a rascist attack.
The issue here is clearly about the humane treatment of animals, and not an attack on Zulu culture.
avishkar’s comment - “silence the hypocrites and rebuild His Majesty’s army (imibatho)… we the Sovereign Kingdom of KwaZulu have the right to rise again and reclaim our empire… PHAMBILI weMFACANE PHAMBILI !!!” - what a load of reactionary tribalistic crap! There is no space for such idiocy in the modern world.
Along with cruelty I see it as a very violent act for anybody to witness. Surely young boys watching this horrific spectacle equates this to normal life
and compassion for any living thing is non existant as we see in our violent society.
I receive very little SA news so don’t have the gist of the saga entirely.
However, a truly well balanced appraisal by Sentletse. It serves as a benchmark for the kind of journalism this country needs.
On the note of culture/tradition. Herbalists? traditional healers in Namibia and SA are promoting the use of vulture heads for being able to see into the future. Apparently this practice is being transferred to groups of people who never practiced it before. The killing of vultures, and other creatures such as pangolins that are rare, for traditional purposes, is actually threatening some species with extirpation. So do we need to accept these traditions, allow them to spread, just because they are African? The Chinese believe in the medicinal value of rhino horn (the same keratin in finger nails I believe). Must we accommodate them? Can they not just chew their fingernails and swallow. Sometimes we bend over backwards too far, and we are likely to see our backside for it/ We can’t have our cake and eat it.
What offends many traditionalists is that this is the same argument that was used when Europeans colonised Africa. Seeing that as long as they stuck to their traditional ways, there was no way they could be defeated. So a concerted strategy was employed to eat away at the base of their power which was their culture and tradition. These were labelled as “barbaric”
Now let us cut to the chase, what is more barbaric, bullfighting in Pamplona Spain or what happens in this other South American backwater where 3,000 beasts are slaughtered in a single festival?
The Romans tossed people among lions for entertainment. There other examples too numerous to mention that I can quote from the western “civilisations”. I can hear those who are pro-ARA saying that a bad practice cannot be defended, just because it’s been done for centuries.
The problem is that they don’t get it. It’s not about putting a bull out of its misery for the braai stand but it’s about the Zulu identity as much as it would be for the Scots if haggis were banned because it made them appear like vampires!
This whole issue points to one thing: ignorance. The people at Animal Rights Africa, who I presume are white, should have sat down with Inkosi yamakhosi and learnt a bit about the origins and the significance of ukweshwama.
20 minutes to suffocate a living being to death? No “it’s my culture/tradition” excuse is EVER going to convince me that this is acceptable. Sacrifice the bull, if you have to, just like the other black African cultures do - slit the throat of the animal. Torturing an animal to death is disgustingly cruel.
I was reluctant to enter this forum but the level of obtusity and total lapse of logic to some commentators here is vexating to say the least. At the same time I am worried that I don’t engage so much with ignoramus least somebody get confused and end up not noticing the difference.
Sentlese or ARS does not say or has not said that killing animal is wrong but he is deeply worried about the manner the animal is killed. I suppose even with other religious groups like Islam, Judaism, Christianity, to mention the few there are certain ways that are not allowed in slaughtering an animal. For example the tool used to kill the animal must be reasonable be sharp to avoid unnecessary suffering and pain of an animal.
So I hope the harbingers of falsity and confusion could be cleared on this before peddling more unnecessary confusion.
In deed such dehumanising and primitive pratices as these are not helping the cause, the creation of peaceful and modern society.
These neo-feudal practices with their excesses are counter progressive and they need to be revised.
I just can not grasp the obsession over this animal protection idiology from people that eat meat and never really care about how the animals they eat at their restaurants are killed(if they do they are not cared either way)
To the topic, the issue of mmodernism is a highly imposed one and has never been offered up for review to the people it is being fed to. Hence Christian religion and everything else that came along with people foreign to tribal groups was forced upon.
Now at this point even culture on its own is soo washed down by the very people that introduce mordenism (look up inheritance amongst african families for one)that even if we are given a chance to re evaluate the mordenism we are left with a blurry culture that is not as pure as we would like it to be. Hence the bitterness and over defensive tendencies we have created. No matter what the morden world brings to the table I automatically assume it is there to replace something that I already believe in, this is due to the fact thaqt it has done so for the last few hundreds if years
The author of this tirade is not a Zulu person himself. All he writes about has the signs of hear-say, perception, or ‘i think so’ or he has retrieved some of his information from a ‘targeted selective analysis’ from those who have the priviledge to set up the national agenda.
Then why should we waste our time by entertaining his hatred on those who dared to support the culture? One point you may have not realised, Mr Diakanyo has made sure that he would wait for the ANC to comment on this subject hence he has decided to take a stand contrary to what the ANC has pronounced.
Lastly, we should also not forget that the competition–for battle of ideas–in this platform has become so stiff in such a way that people (bloggers in particular) are prepared to post anything–regardless whether the author him/herself belives in it or not– that would lure the public as long as it would increase his ratings & readership.
A lot of posters insist on equating the killing of animals for food or ritual with what appears to be the unneccesarily cruel and prolonged torture of an animal.
This in spite of the fact that many other posters have made that very point.
It is a pity these threads can’t be more of a conversation than simple point scoring. I’m sure that would be more productive.
While the treatment of farm animals and conditions in abbatoirs may leave much to be desired, it is the SPCA and ARA which ensure cruelty is kept to a minimum
So accusing these organisations of hypocrisy is completely unjust.
My brother Sentleste you are an intelligant brain washed African boy, no matter how good you may put your argument blacks will remain blacks with their culture and traditoin which they were, are and will practice with a reason.Human riths start at respacting other people’s way of living why then dont you respect and leave Zulus alone. White will never approve anything done by blacks, killing a bull the traditional way or shoting it by gun (western) it is still killing. so the killer chooses what suits his intended use of the curcus.
What is the purpose of having a (Zulu) “king” in a democracy? Surely a kingdom is an outdated custom? South Africa is an independant republic with an elected government, no royalty is needed. If the person wants to be “king”, let him and his underlings support him, and not the taxpayers. The same goes for all traditional leaders in this country.
Two years ago I had one of my neighbers call SPCA to my house claiming that I was illtreating my dogs. I found a note that afternoon on my dining table from SPCA stating that they do not understand why she had called them because the dogs seemed healthy and well looked after.
This is a clear example of how far the white man is prepared to put a black man’s life under a magnifying glass in order to lecture him on whether he is leaving up to his standards or not.
The slaughtering of animals is here to stay whether you like or not in the same way the bull will continue. We have seen a black man in this country reclaim his culture and pride after the fall of apartheid and as a result it became fashionable to be seen in African traditional attire at weddings and important functions. We have also seen the white man through the media and selected organisations trying his best to ridicule and demonise the African culture and rituals.
We have heard about Yengeni’s slaughtering of the bull and during the time there was no mention of whether the bull would be strangled or stabbed with a spear or shot. It was just not accpetable in their eyes. Well some of us couldn’t care what you think or practise behind your walls or closed doors.
in my book death is death no matter how it comes. No one or nothing nwants to be killed period. You eat meat dont complain about about the practise. By the way most people eat lamb, is it really fair to eat baby sheep, or even lobsters that are boiled alive? You dnt see Zulus complaining so leave them and let them do their thing.
I applaud you for this blog post, it is one of the few that have anything intelligent to say in general (let alone just about this bull event).
Unfortunately the comments below are once again as per usual of the MG users, idiotic, nonsensical and a mish mash of poorly constructed ideas and emotions.
The way white people carry on, is it any wonder blacks fall into the trap of thinking they’re all racist, and anything they want is with slavery in mind, and black people, wow, how hard is it to try move on and look at things objectively, you moan about the evil whites, yet you seem to separate in “them” and “us” so easily.
White and black, you’re the cancer killing your country, fighting ghosts, while criminals both bare footed and gucci loafer-ed are smiling all the way to the bank. Catch a wake up.
I believe the point of Sentletse’s article was to suggest that traditions and cultures change and should change. I cannot comment on the accuracy of the facts. There appear to be 2 types of response to his article. The first are objective, sometimes opposing, sometimes supporting, opinions, the second are rabid, silly, political points scoring responses. For South Africa to succeed as a great nation into the distant future, the former type of response needs to be promoted, the second type needs to be drastically reduced. Sadly I don’t have the answers as to how…..everyone who responds to such a blog could make a start by trying to be objective (through objection or support)and sensitive (without bending over backwards and seeing your backside). Regardless of (according to some respondents) apparent inaccuracies of Sentletse’s blog, it represents a well balanced and measured piece of writing.
@Lyndall Beddy - Actually the first Bantu peoples that arrived almost 2000 years ago with cattle and crops and also brought iron and iron smelting technologies. The crops were sorghum, a type of sweet potato (the little mudimbis not the pink ones) and a few other things. The use of arrival is almost wrong as it was not a trek but a slow expansion of a farming frontier.
See Krige, EJ (1936) The social system of the Zulus.
Got to the Killie Campbell or any museum and ask to see their archives. The subject librarians are very helpful and would be delighted to deal with queries and these sources are open tot eh public just rarely used.
Go to Ulundi and check out the museum there. Look for any old Zulu man or women that has deep rural roots and ask about there old ceremonies.
The whole arguement by the author around the culture in question is down to lack of understanding as to what culture means? Any type of culture you ever came across from all the nationalities across the walks of life does nt have to be measured of justified by any form of schooling to overule it than what that individual nation beleive in as its practice.
From creation God , paved a way and made it right for human population to live on meat and plants, by so saying that indirectly meant that plants and and animals will be destroyed ,whatever menthod used for human population to consume for their survival.
To humans , either you poison,shoot,stab ,strangulate ,another human that means killing which is literaly makes no difference to animals, as those actions result to life lost, whether duration of killing is short or long that does nt make a difference as the result remains the same.
So as for me as a zulu, I view this as an attempt to insult the zulus than anything.As we have done nothing than killing the animal that we eat here , not donkeys that does nt form part of our meat.But we are killing what God gave permission over to us to eat.
I am not aware what relation to God ,these ARA are they having to contradict the permission that God gave to us in terms of consumption choice.
I have got no respect for the Ara, I have seen the
I have seen the white people, befriending pets , includng cats and dogs .
I have seen some kissing dogs and sharing the bed with dogs, but I have nt had from these ARA AND SPCA,complaining about that of which I Beleive dogs have got their bull dogs to give company not humans, if ARAS and SPCA of these world has got any advocates to play they would have intervened in such ungodly human animal relationship ,than taking chances in teaching africans what culture to follow ? what is painful and what not?
Our african moderates who want to be accepted by the western hypocrats , must do their assignments properly before they jump over to their unholy wagons!
We are what we are and we are what we beleive in, take it or leave it!
It is upto the Zulu’s to decide, not other cultures. By that I stand. Now I might not like that tradition but then it really has nothing to do with me. One thing Sentletse, given the fact that the west has imposed its culture on Africa during colonialism, and as that imposition stopped almost 30, 40 or 50 years ago in most African countries why has there not being the renaissance that Mbeki initiated. Surely Africans should have embraced this? But why haven’t they?
Lyndall Beddy never fails at insulting blacks. Why would you say that Zulus never grew crops. What on earth do you suppose they subsisted on? Or are you trying to propagate the myth that they were from North Africa and that the only people who lived here were the San. I thought that issue was resolved when someone tried to educate as to the history of Africa before your ancestors came here to settle. I think I even INFORMED you that there were NO NATIONAL BORDERS AND THEREFORE NO SUCH COUNTRY AS ‘SOUTH AFRICA’. Africans lived all over the continent at various stages, depending on circumstances ;climate, wars, survival etc. Get over it. Europeans are the only settlers here(with the exception of recent immigrants who came through Home Affairs and did not ’settle by the gun’) and there is nothing wrong with being a settler because you are more a part of Africa than, say, an African-American. Relax!
Back in the UK, many working class white males are also supremely proud of their Culture - going to the football match; tanking up before the game; at the end of the match, releasing their violence on the terraces and in the streets because their team has lost.
And forget not the skinheads – another glorious example of white, male, working-class British culture.
Have black, working-class males now become so superior to their white brothers that they are now beyond criticism?
The Zulus and the Xhosa did not grow crops - how could they? With no ploughs and no draft animals?
They lived off the land - plants like moroga ( like spinage ). And they hunted for meat - cattle were only eaten as a luxury.
Other tribes like the Shona cultivated crops and the Matebele (an offshoot of the Zulus) merely raided their villages.
And the Zulus arrived in SA in about the 16th century. The blacks are as much settlers as the whites. The only indigeneous people of SA are the brown (NOT black) Khoisan.
Michael Francis
Have you any idea how much fake history and culture is written down?
I have family written records - they LIVED with the Zulus from the time of Dingaan!!!!!
@Lyndall Beddy: “blacks are settlers”. Now that is hilarious! Do you honestly think anybody would take that seriously. All of Africa has always belonged to all Africans! There was NO SOUTH AFRICA BEFORE WHITE SETTLERS. There were simply no national borders. ‘South Africa’ is a colonial construction.
You said it yoursef; there is a lot of “fake history and fake culture written down”. That is exactly waht you read and where you derive your crazy far-fetched theories about black “settlers”. (LOL!).
I have a degree in History from UCT and graduated as one of the top 3. You can check if you like - Lyndall Beddy 1968.
I studied History i.e. I read books - and still do. I could give you a reading list - but it would be a waste of time.
All blacks came from Central Africa - and were spread around North Africa and the rest of the world as slaves. To Southern Africa they migrated over 2000 years.
Lyndall Beddy saps your energy for her enjoyment and pleasure. Best ignore her and not give her the high she so craves. Either that or she has a strong racist agenda.
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Sentletse Diakanyo has a keen interest in everything else that is beyond the realm of his expertise; from world politics, history, economics, philosophy, to motor-racing. He is inquisitive about everything and a master of none. He writes what likes, without fear or favour.
Views expressed here are his, and his alone, and do not represent any other organisation or person(s).
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Defending an action on the basis of culture presupposes the fact that everyone who is affected subscribes to the same cultural norms and values. In our multicultural and democratic environment, surely the time has come to re-evaluate what we call a cultural/traditional behaviour according to the standards of society at large. If the vast majority of the members of the society object to a practice, then it should be prohibited. Of course, if this is anathema, the relevant party could always secede…..
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