It rained all night but it stopped before dawn and I showered in the open air; hot water showers. After breakfast we drove to Shakaland, a Disney-like set for the 80’s mini-series, “Shakazulu”. As we expected it was a little hokey, but we learned more about Zulu life and traditions. This afternoon we will attend a ‘coming of age’ ceremony at a local village. It will probably be staged but it may be the final link with the Zulu past.
Ever the cynic, tonight I eat crow. Not only was this ‘coming of age’ authentic, it was the debutante ball of the year. It seems the young lady is the chief’s niece, his brother’s eldest daughter. A ‘coming of age’ ceremony is held only for an eldest – or youngest – daughter when she is between 18 and 21, although a deserving woman who had respected her parents can have an event any time her brother can afford it. And it can be expensive. Today’s ceremony was held on a beautiful hill top with a 360 degree view of the area. By our estimates some 1,000 people attended and the chief killed three cows and two goats to feed his relatives. The deb was attended by two close friends, similarly attired in skins and about 20 dancers. The maidens were topless and the matrons wore their maidenforms. They were persued by a group of young men with spears and shields who made symbolic threatening gestures to the crowd and the chief joined them in their warriors’ dance.
Our guide, Victor, explained much of the ceremony to us but a lot was lost in the translation. The niece received quite a bit of money – 10 and 20 Rand notes were pinned to her headband and to the dozens of blankets she received. They are important because she will need them for her relatives when she marries. All in all it was a wonderful experience and as Connie and I were the only whites present, it was even more special. How we lucked out!
