Day 86, Mon 4/10/2023 Richards Bay, South Africa 6-4:00

 Day 86, Mon 4/10/2023 Richards Bay, South Africa 6-4:00 

Dumazulu Cultural Village (RIC-007)  ZULU culture 

April 10, 2023

Port: Richards Bay

Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 5 hours)

Tour Description

Delve into an authentic Zulu cultural experience at the DumaZulu Traditional Village.

NO Savor a cooling refreshment before meeting your knowledgeable native guides.

Enter the chief’s homestead, or kraal, to observe Zulu traditions of basket-weaving (NO), beadwork (NO) and weapon-crafting, among others.  Saw weapon crafting.  

See the healer, or sangoma, practicing a type of divination known as bone throwing.  NO bone throwing.

Soak up the rhythms of the Zulu’s mesmerizing dancing.

Explore the culture and traditions of the Zulu tribe during this enlightening visit to the entrancing DumaZulu Traditional Village. Drive north to the DumaZulu Traditional Village, also known as Thundering Zulu, where more than 50 tribal residents form part of a living museum that offers a genuine Zulu cultural experience. Find that DumaZulu is the largest village of its kind in the Southern Hemisphere and the only Zulu community to be opened up to tourism by King Goodwill Zwelithini, who placed the royal Zulu stamp of approval on the village’s objectives and authenticity. After enjoying a cooling refreshment, meet your guides and accept an invitation into the chief’s homestead, or kraal, where you can watch and learn about the tribe’s various traditions, including basket-weaving, spear- and shield-making, beadwork, pottery-sculpting, sangoma bone throwing, which is a form of divination, and fabulous dancing. You’ll treasure your arresting immersion into the bewitching Zulu way of life during this remarkable excursion.

HELPFUL HINTS

Wear casual, weather-appropriate clothing and comfortable walking shoes.

Bring a hat, sunglasses and sunscreen.

This tour involves a substantial amount of walking. There will be uneven gravel surfaces to negotiate which can sometimes be muddy. It is customary for unmarried Zulu women to be uncovered from the waist up. No photographs or videos may be taken of the traditional healer, or sangoma. Travel time from the pier to the village is approximately 1 ½ hours each way by coach

Zulu people are a nation of Nguni-speaking people.  They are the single largest ethnic group in South Africa.  Zulus take pride in their bead work and ceremonies such as Umhlanga or Reed Dance.  The art and skill of beadwork is part of the identification of Zulu people.  When one wears multiple beads, it is a sign of wealth.  Beads can also convey information about a person’s age, gender and marital status.  

                                                    Shields and spears

                                            Men with a big belly are thought of as being wealthy.

                                            Crossed more rivers today.

The beads and clothing further define marital status.  Single woman used to be bare breasted and her beading is more decorative..  An engaged woman is partially covered and wears a headband and a married woman covers her shoulders and wears a hat.  

                                            Homes of the Zulu

An engaged woman makes pottery and weaves baskets so she is prepared to begin housekeeping.  

The medicine man is consulted.  He throws bones to find the answers.  

This warrior is pounding the metal to make an end for his spear

The man with the spear and shield is defending himself and others from an attack.

Trees and sugar cane grow for miles.