Zulu Culture Essay -- Anthropology

The Zulus tribe is an independent clan and the largest ethnic group in South Africa. The Zulu clan reputation is well known for their proud, fierce, and barbaric behavior. check to Ethnologies, in 1816 a new chief Shaka Zulu conquered and created a nation that was named after him. His descendants made up the Zulu clan. During the year of 1820, Native Africans did not have all political rights. The king of the Zulu ethnic groups or clans was the only one allowed to have judicial and legislative power. Zulu chiefs steadily demanded increasing tribute to taxes from their acquired great wealth, commanded large armies in many cases a Zulu military status allow men to achieve distinctions chiefdoms. The family relationship in the Zulu family is extremely important. The Zulu people are traditionally both pastoralists and agriculturists. As with many African tribes, reciprocity is important and the Zulu people are known for being extremely generous and even allowing guests to eat off their dinner headquarters as a gesture of friendship. In Zulu culture, women are supposed to dominate cooking only. As a result of socialization this habit teaches males at an earliest age that the mothers and sisters are suppose to cook for them. Some men who break the rules and learn how to cook are challenge as being weak. Olfami, Kuni (2008)Zulu clans were organized into patrilineal. Their kinship also extended to people who were not blood related, inheriting property was only through a male and his father. If a childs existing parents pass away, they were not put away as an orphan other parents took over the responsibilities. As children get older they have kids on their own, but they are also required to start taking care of their parents as they reach an eld... .... The Zulus are considered as the most traditional pastoralists and agriculturists people. Interestingly, most superannuated Zulu tribes practice pastoralist and lives in more arid lands. The reason is nativ es of the Zulu tribe have always inhabited desert lands to remain traditional because their territory is not ofttimes valuable and desired to be confiscated by outsiders. ReferencesFlint, Karen E. Healing Traditions African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820-1948.Athens, OH, USA Ohio University Press, 2008. p xi.http//site.ebrary.com/lib/ashford/Doc?id=10472432&ppg=11Elliott, Aubrey. THE ZULU Traditions and Culture. mantlepiece Town Struik Publishers. 1986.http//library.thinkquest.org/27209/History.htm Olfami, Kuni. African Tribes Indigenous People of Africa 2008http//www.african-tribes.org/