Zulu Trivia Quiz

Answer: Ethiopia

The Zulus are one of the Bantu peoples of southern Africa, and became an identifiable separate group in the early part of the eighteenth century. They lived in the northern part of what is now called KwaZulu-Natal. At least 10 million Zulus live in South Africa (2001 census) with other countries of southern Africa having populations of a few thousand to under 500,000.

Ethiopia is located in northeast Africa.

Answer: Durban

Using 2016 data, Pietermaritzburg is the tenth largest city in South Africa, while Durban is the third largest. Johannesburg, in Gauteng Province, has by far the largest population with more than twice as many inhabitants as Cape Town.

Pietermaritzburg was founded in 1838 and is inland, while Durban (eThekwini in the Zulu language) is a large port city on the Indian Ocean.

Answer: Dance

These are just two of the traditional Zulu dances, with the ingoma having two versions. The isizingili is performed by girls and boys together, with a chanted accompaniment. The isishameni has boys and girls, but they dance separately with each gender clapping while the other dances.

Indlamu is derived from a traditional war dance so is performed only by men, who wear full ceremonial dress. These dances are frequently part of Zulu weddings.

Answer: Shaka

Shaka kaSenzangakhona, also known as Shaka Zulu, was born in the late eighteenth century and was the man who brought together various African tribes as the Zulu nation. His reign lasted until 1828, when he was assassinated by his half brothers following his extreme, and cruel, actions following his mother's death.

The date of his death became a day of pilgrimage for the Zulus and was adopted by South Africa as Heritage Day in 1995.

Answer: True

You may remember that the song was also known as 'Wimoweh'. This is an Anglicised version of the words repeated frequently in the original song, which was called 'Mbube'. It was written in 1939 by Solomon Linda, a Zulu musician from Ladysmith. He was working in Johannesburg and singing with a band in the evenings. Pete Seeger rewrote the song as 'Wimoweh', a version of the original lyrics, in the 1950s. 'The Lion Sleeps Tonight' was a further adaptation, often described as having been 'stolen'. The original composer received no credit nor royalties and died in poverty.

Answer: Milk

Known as amasi in both Zulu and Xhosa, and in Afrikaans as maas, this is a sort of yoghurt, where milk is left to turn sour. The taste is said to be like cottage cheese, or a plain yoghurt and amasi is prized as having health giving benefits.

Answer: British

This was one of the battles of the Anglo-Zulu War, when the British decided to amalgamate, by force, all of the disparate tribes of the region into one entity. The Zulus resisted this challenge, and won a notable battle at Isandlawana, before the British fought back. The Battle of Rorke's Drift was the focus of the 1964 film 'Zulu', starring Michael Caine and Stanley Baker.

Answer: Married women

Made from grass, held together by cotton thread, the izicolo was part of the Zulu bride's attire. It was sewn into her hair and removed only when it had disintegrated. The woman could then have her hair washed before the izicolo was replaced with a fresh version. In contemporary society, the izicolo is worn on ceremonial occasions.

Answer: Sangoma

Sangomas are just one kind of traditional healer, with the speciality of interpreting the imbalance between the patient and the spirit world which is causing the ailment. The usual method is by throwing bones which help the sangoma to interpret the messages from the spirits which the bones show. By contrast, a herbalist is known as an inyanga.

The other options are traditional healers from different parts of the world (South America, Australia and India).

Answer: Paul Simon

The album referred to is 'Graceland', and Paul Simon's decision to go to South Africa caused a great deal of controversy, since the country was still practising apartheid in the 1980s. Many artists boycotted the country at the time. Simon recorded in Johannesburg using many local musicians, including Ladysmith Black Mambazo.

The choir sang on 'Diamonds on the Soles of her Shoes' and 'Homeless', with Joseph Shabalala, founder of the choir, receiving joint writing credits with Paul Simon. Whatever the rights and wrongs of the original recording, it gave the choir worldwide, and ongoing, success.