A Visit to Dumazulu Cultural Village, South Africa

Dumazulu Village is a Zulu Cultural Village close to Phinda Forest Lodge. This excursion took place after a game drive one day to to give us an insight into the traditional lifestyle and customs of the Zulu People. The Zulus are renowned for their warrior culture and are the largest South African ethnic group. An estimated 10-11 million people live in the province of Kwazulu-Natal, South Africa and our group was going to delve deeper into Zulu culture with a trip into Ulundi after Phinda Forest Lodge.

Dumazulu…View image… is a traditional village where Zulu residents go on with their daily lives while visitors can watch residents making spears, shields, claypots, doing beadwork, basket weaving, telling fortunes with Sangoma bone throwing and a few spectacular Zulu dances.

KwaZulu-Natal area map, South Africa
In the Zulu spirit world, a diviner sangoma must invoke ancestors to determine the problem. This female was the village “witch doctor” and she used different roots, herbs, bark, snake skin, animal parts and bones to reveal the past, predict the future and cure ailments.

Zulu witch doctor throwing Sangoma bones
Some of the older Zulu women were fully dressed while others were half-naked and wore an isidwaba only. …View image… This short skirt is made of cowhide and decorated with beads. The Zulu nation is recognized for its intricate beadwork and every bead along with the color has a symbolic meaning.

A Zulu traditional home looks like a beehive and the women weave ropes and mats used for building. The mats are then wound around the the framework, from top to bottom. There is only one door and the floor is plastered with a mixture of cow dung and ant-heap soil. Each community has a number of beehive homes encircled by a wooden stockade, hedge or small fence to prevent goats and cattle from straying off. There were no wild animals in the area so at least the Zulu didn’t haven’t to worry a lion making off with their livestock.

Zulu warrior in front of his traditional home
The lively dances were the best part of the visit with pretend stick fighting duels, war dances with shields and separate dances performed by the women only. Every dance formation or movement symbolizes an event or happening within the Zulu clan.