Richards Bay, South Africa

            Wednesday, 14 Feb 2018 – Before dawn today the Insignia docked at Richards Bay.  For us, it was going to be the fourth of five consecutive days of excursions – and a long day, at that!  When meeting up in the Insignia Lounge, we were pleased to see that friends Julie and Canute were also assigned to our bus, which left the pier before 8:00 AM for our 7-hour “Shakaland” tour.

Richards Bay is a town in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa with the deepest natural harbor in the Southern hemisphere.  The coal terminal here was once the largest coal export facility in the world, and two aluminum smelters are located here.  Tourism is a major part of the economy, with Richards Bay seen as a gateway to Zululand, and an area popular with foreign tourists because of its large game parks.  However, the Richards Bay area is plagued by unemployment and poverty.  Unemployment has been estimated at 19 percent in Richards Bay, but 55 percent in the rural area; the local government has made efforts to implement projects aimed at poverty reduction.

As our bus quickly left the small city, our guide, Thako, addressed some of these issues and others as well.  In the rural area, historically sugar cane was the money crop.  However, the rural population is mostly Zulu, who refused to work in the fields.  Therefore, the whites, who owned the plantations, brought in workers from India and Asia.  As a result, 19 percent of the population of this area is of Indian or Asian descent.  Sally asked Thako if these Indians were brought as slaves; she said they were not, but “they were treated like slaves.”  Although we passed sugar cane fields, we also saw fruit trees.

Village Entrance

Our bus drove 1.5 hours through Empangeni, a town situated in hilly countryside, overlooking the flat coastal plain and Richards Bay about 10 miles away, and on to Shakaland, where the motion picture Shaka Zulu was filmed.  Upon arrival, we were met by a Zulu guide and then served fruit juice as refreshments.

Sally with Zulu Warrior

The Zulu village was set up to show tourists their way of life.  The village consists of several buildings, reached by walking short distances on gravel paths.  A cow was in a small fenced area, and chickens wandered about freely, sometimes underfoot.  During our walking tour through the village, we saw a variety of displays that included Zulu women creating bead-work, weaving mats, sculpting pottery, baking bread, and brewing Zulu beer.  The Zulu men demonstrated how to make spears and shields, and build Zulu beehive-styled grass huts.  The largest hut, which they call “Grandmother’s Hut,” is round, with a thatched roof; it is used for spiritual connection with their ancestors – or as a school, hospital, or any function involving the larger family group.

Jesse with Young Zulu Women

Our Zulu guide (who spoke very good English), told us about some of their medical lore.  Instead of going to modern medical doctors and hospitals, they depend on healing by a witch doctor who gives them concoctions of roots or herbs or parts of animals.

Following the first part of our visit, our group (of two tour buses from the ship) was directed to Kwabonamanzi Restaurant overlooking the Umhlatuze Lake for lunch.  There, we sat with friends Julie, Canute, and Donna.  The food was good and there was plenty of it, including desserts and a choice of beer, wine, soft drinks, or bottled water.

Lunch with Julie, Canute, & Donna

After lunch, we were invited into the Chief’s hut to observe Zulu dancers performing rhythmic drum dances, and tribal members recreating a ritual by the traditional healer, sangoma.  The dancing was like no other that we have seen.  Four or five young males would dance, which was based on something like skipping but, on every other beat of the drums, they would kick one leg out straight and high over their head, then repeat with the other leg, back and forth and on and on, until suddenly sitting down (all of the men simultaneously).  Then more dancers, sometimes women, would take center stage and repeat this same ritual.  They were obviously quite athletic, but had danced like this since young children.  Afterward, our guide told us that their enemies would see the high level of energy shown in the Zulu dance and take warning that the Zulu could be a dangerous enemy!

Zulu Statue

Incidentally, a note in the Insignia’s description of this tour stated: “It is customary for unmarried Zulu women to go topless.”  At least for our tour, the women wore tops, sometimes a bra top with a fancy front, with a short, fancy skirt.  The men were usually shirtless.

During the drive back to the pier from Shakaland, Thako told us (in answer to Jesse’s question) that this tribal “village” we had visited was for demonstration purposes; no local Zulu people actually lived there.  The performers who participated in telling this unique story of the Zulu people came from other nearby communities.  However, there were overnight accommodations for visitors, including the restaurant and a swimming pool.

She also talked about King Shaka, King of the Zulus.  Nearly two centuries ago, the Zulu King Shaka, known to historians as the Black Napoleon, subjugated the tribes that today comprise the Kingdom of the Zulu.  He ruled with an iron hand.  Shaka was the illegitimate son of Senzangakona, King of the Zulus, and was born about 1787.  He and his mother were exiled by Senzangakona, and found refuge with the Mthethwa.  However, when Senzangakona died, Shaka was able to become chief of the Zulu Kingdom in about 1818.  He initiated many military, social, cultural, and political reforms, forming a well-organized and centralized Zulu state.  His most important reforms involved the transformation of the army, through innovative tactics and weapons he conceived, and a showdown with the spiritual leadership, witch doctors, thereby ensuring the subservience of the Zulu “church” to the state.  Another reform integrated defeated clans into the Zulu, on a basis of full equality, with promotions in the army and civil service becoming a matter of merit rather than due to circumstances of birth.  By 1825, Shaka had conquered an empire covering an area of about 11,500 square miles.  He ruled until 1840, when he was assassinated by two half-brothers.

Shaka loved his mother very much because she had protected him when his father wanted him killed.  When she died, he made it mandatory that all tribesmen mourn her passing; if they did not, they were summarily killed. He also came down with other edicts having cruel results.

Thako told us that Zulus bury their family members near their hut, not in a cemetery.  If they were to be buried farther away (as in a cemetery), their relative might forget about them; therefore, their relative needs to be nearby in order to help them.  As our bus drove through the countryside, we could see that each house has a separate circular hut, usually with a thatched roof, which was the place where they talk with their ancestors.

At that time in the afternoon, we also passed many school children, walking home from school, and wearing their school uniforms.  The children are provided schools, but not school buses.  However, in the rural area, many children attend only the first few years of school, probably somewhat equivalent to an elementary school education.

After the Insignia left Richards Bay at 4:00 PM, passengers all felt the high winds and choppy seas.  Although we danced tonight, it was often difficult to even remain standing!