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Home Unit 11 Shaka — King of the Zulus

Background Information

Extended Reading

Warm-up Questions

Free Discussion

Detailed ReadingBefore Reading Global Reading After Reading


Warm-up Questions

1. What kind of king was Shaka?

He was most probably a cruel king.


2. Why could Shaka become the king of the Zulus?

He had a genius for war and politics and he had built up his army and his power in a very short time.



3. Why is Shaka so important in history?

His historical importance is established through a comparison with Napoleon.

4. What type of writing does this text belong to?

Narration.


1. Shaka Zulu

Background Information


Shaka Zulu (1787-1828) was the Zulu military leader who in the early years of the 19th century built up by conquest the powerful Zulu Empire in South Africa. He seized the throne in 1816 and ruled with an iron hand.



2. The Zulu Nation

The Zulus are a pastoral people living chiefly in what is now Natal, a province in the east of the Republic of South Africa on the Indian Ocean.



3. The Zululand

Zululand is at present a region in northeastern Natal, Republic of South Africa, on the Indian Ocean; formerly it was a Zulu kingdom with an area of 10,427 square miles or 27,006 square kilometers.


Extended Reading

Listen to the following information for a better understanding of the Zulu life. While listening, please fill in the blanks with the information you hear.

Directions:

Descendants of the Nguni peoples of southeast Africa, the Zulu trace their history back to the 14th and 15th centuries when they southward and settled into modern-day South Africa. During the 1800s, under Chief Shaka, the Zulus themselves as a very powerful people and were feared throughout southern Africa. During this time it was the men who wove Zulu baskets; however, as the British took the men to work in the mines, women found it necessary to learn to weave the traditional African Zulu Baskets. Zulu baskets served as functional utilitarian containers and were typically devoid of any designs or patterns.

migrated________

established_________


■


They were essentially plain; however, the beer basket covers called Imbenge were often highly decorated and colorful. Today many , both based on traditional Zulu designs as well as contemporary motifs based on other South African tribes or original ideas have appeared. The development (and continued elaboration) of natural pigments and dyes as well as the weavers’ struggles to their unique styles has led to many and varied designs not previously known. Around the turn of the 20th century, traded tin and iron replaced the baskets and by the 1940s the skill of weaving was all but lost. Starting with a Missionary, Rev. Tjell Lofroth of the Lutheran Church, who wanted to convert the Zulus in the late 60s, a workshop (called Vukani) was created and three very old Zulu women were found that still remembered how to the materials and weave the baskets. From this the baskets refined through the 70s, 80s and 90s until we have the pinnacle of quality and refinement today. Regrettably, the techniques and skills may soon again be lost due to to the cities and AIDS.

patterns_______beadwork________


differentiate__________

dye___

migration________■


Today most of the Zulu population lives in a 10,000 square mile Zululand along the Indian Ocean. Once , many must now rely on employment outside of their reserve in nearby towns to survive. Members of the more than 300 Zulu-speaking peoples in KwaZulu (“Place of Heaven”), an area approximately the size of New Jersey. Their economy is based on the cultivation of crops, tended by the women, and the raising of cattle, for which the men and boys are responsible. The weaving of traditional African Zulu Baskets is also a small industry. Most Zulus still live in their traditional Kraals, an area

in by thickets of spiny shrubs that contain their traditional huts and gardens. Often a will have an extended family living in close proximity to each other, often far removed from other clans.

reserve______

reside_____

self-sufficient___________


fenced______homestead _________

■


1. How much do you know about the Zulus and their kings?2. Would you like to travel to South Africa? Why?

Free Discussion



Part Division of the Text

Further Understanding

Skimming



Skimming


Now read the text quickly and try to find relevant information for each blank. Fill in the blanks with correct information and you will have the main ideas.

1) Shaka built and turned the Zulu people into .2) When Shaka grew in power, he met with a personal tragedy — .3) Shaka’s orders for mourning were:A) .B) .C) .4) What faced the Zulu nation now was and the Zulu people would .

the Zulu nation _____________

a first-class fighting race____________________

his mother died_____________

no crops were to be planted_______________________no milk was to be used___________________all pregnant women and their husbands were to be killed_____________________________________________

total ruin ________starve to death____________



5) Gala, a minor chieftain, who wanted to , went to Shaka to advise him to , that is to say, t

o .6) Shaka Gala’s advice and rewarded Gala with .

took / followed / accepted ______________________

stuff a stone in his stomach______________________end the tyranny_____________

pull himself together_________________

many cattle__________



Shaka, who had a genius for war and politics, built the Zulu nation; but, had it not been for the courage of a minor chieftain, he would have destroyed it himself.

Read the first paragraph of the text once more and try to sum up the contents of the whole text in one sentence. Write down the sentence below.


Directions: Please divide the text into three parts and write down the exact words that best sum up the main idea in each part.

Part Division of the Text


Main IdeasParts

1

2

Paras

1~3

4~6 The concrete details about the ruthlessness of Shaka as a ruler.

Introduction to the main character, Shaka, and his historical significance.

3 7~8 The dramatic ending of the national tragedy.


1. Shaka’s military career began in 1828.

Further Understanding

F

Shaka began his military career at about the same time as Napoleon’s military career ended at Waterloo. Napoleon was defeated at Waterloo in 1815, so we can well say that Shaka’s military career began at about that time — not in 1828.

( )


True or False


2. It is meaningless for the writer to make a comparison between Shaka and Napoleon since neither man had ever heard of the other. F(

)Shaka and Napoleon were contemporaries and both were great military leaders. Probably few people have ever heard of Shaka while Napoleon was world famous. So the writer wishes to bring the unfamiliar Shaka into our notice by comparing him with the well known Napoleon.



Shaka was really heartless, cruel and merciless, but to build up a well-trained, impressive army needs more than that. Shaka was also known for his capacity for hard work.

3. So long as a military leader is absolutely ruthless and inhuman, he can build up a formidable army, as was the case with Shaka. F(

)


Shaka was very strict and rigorous in training his warriors, otherwise the Zulu people couldn’t have become a first- class fighting race. He moved about with his bodyguards who killed those who did not live up to his expectations.

4. Shaka was lenient to his warriors. F( )


Living at the beginning of the 19th century, the Zulu people dared not go against the wishes of their King.

6. The Zulu people had not obeyed Shaka’s mourning orders because these orders would destroy their country. F(

)


5. Shaka showed great respect to his mother at the cost of the lives of many of his people. T(

)

7. Shaka’s mourning order — no crops were to be planted the following year — amounted to the same as an order for national starvation. T(

)



He respected the King, but wanted the King to end his tyranny and to save the country from destruction.

8. Gala did not respect Shaka, because he spoke to the King in a disrespectful and challenging tone. F(

)


Shaka’s military career started at about the same time as Napoleon’s came to an end at Waterloo. Neither man had ever heard of the other, yet they had a surprising amount in common, particularly in their genius for war and politics. Had Shaka been born in Europe he too might well have altered the course of world affairs. As it was, he built the Zulu nation. And he would have destroyed it had it not been for the courage of a minor chieftain, Gala.

When he was still only twenty-nine, Shaka seized the throne of the Zulus. It took him very little time to turn the Zulu people into a first-class fighting race because he was absolutely ruthless, never moving without an escort of “slayers”, whose job it was to kill anyone who displeased him in any way.

Shaka — King of the Zulus


From an article in Look and Learn


If his warriors could not run 50 miles a day, they died; if they were unable to dance barefoot on a carpet of jungle thorns, they died; if they showed anything less than suicidal courage in battle, they would be unhesitatingly murdered by the slayers. Shaka was inhuman, perhaps, but he built up a formidable army in a very short time. Shaka had already increased his kingdom from 100 square miles to 100,000 when personal tragedy struck: his mother, Nandi, died. Nandi was the one person for whom Shaka felt deep affection, and on her death something seemed to snap in his mind. What followed was unbelievable, but it was recorded by an Englishman named Flynn who was in the area at the time. Nandi was buried, and 12,000 warriors were ordered to guard her grave for a year. Then Shaka sent his impis or regiments to scour the countryside and punish all those who had failed to be present at the funeral.



Only after this had been done did he announce his orders for mourning: no crops were to be planted the following year; no milk was to be used — it was to be drawn from the cow and poured on to the earth and all women who were found with child during the following year were to be put to death with their husbands. As the staple diet of the Zulus consisted of grain and milk products, this order was little less than a sentence of national starvation. Shaka now developed a brooding and bitter spirit: “I have conquered the world but lost my mother,” he would cry, “and all taste has gone out of my life.” After two months of intensive mourning over Nandi’s death, the country was in a desperate state. The fields were overgrown with weeds and one of the staple diets, namely milk, was no longer on the food list. Total ruin now faced the Zulu nation, and it was obvious that those who had not been killed by Shaka would certainly starve to death.




Finally, one of Shaka’s warriors, Gala, determined to end the tyranny. “It is enough,” he told his family. “Someone must tell the Great Elephant. I shall do it.” Gala’s family stared at him in horror: to challenge the King’s wishes at such a moment was to ask for instant death. But Gala took his warrior’s stick and went to Bulawayo to see Shaka. When he reached the right distance from the royal enclosure he shouted: “O King, you have destroyed your country. What will you reign over? Will you create a new race? Shall we all die because your mother died? You have destroyed the country. Your country will be inhabited by other kings, for your people will die of hunger. As for me, O King, I say you are dead yourself through this mother of yours. Stuff a stone into your stomach. This is not the first time anyone has died in Zululand!”

Stuff a stone into your stomach! This was the Zulu way of saying “pull yourself together”. There was a gasp of horror from the onlookers, and the slayers took a grip on their clubs.



That a man should dare to speak to the King in such a way was unthinkable, and Gala’s life seemed to be measured in seconds. But Shaka turned to his Councillors and said: “What use are you to me? You never dared, like Gala, to tell me to stuff a stone in my stomach. Now let all men know that crops are to be planted as usual and that milk may be drunk again. And as for you,” said Shaka, turning to Gala, “you shall have a mighty gift of many cattle.”


Shaka’s military career started at about the same time as Napoleon’s came to an end at Waterloo. Neither man had ever heard of the other, yet they had a surprising amount in common, particularly in their genius for war and politics. Had Shaka been born in Europe he too might well have altered the course of world affairs. As it was, he built the Zulu nation. And he would have destroyed it had it not been for the courage of a minor chieftain, Gala.

When he was still only twenty-nine, Shaka seized the throne of the Zulus. It took him very little time to turn the Zulu people into a first-class fighting race because he was absolutely ruthless, never moving without an escort of “slayers”, whose job it was to kill anyone who displeased him in any way.


Shaka — King of the Zulus

From an article in Look and Learn


If his warriors could not run 50 miles a day, they died; if they were unable to dance barefoot on a carpet of jungle thorns, they died; if they showed anything less than suicidal courage in battle, they would be unhesitatingly murdered by the slayers. Shaka was inhuman, perhaps, but he built up a formidable army in a very short time. Shaka had already increased his kingdom from 100 square miles to 100,000 when personal tragedy struck: his mother, Nandi, died. Nandi was the one person for whom Shaka felt deep affection, and on her death something seemed to snap in his mind. What followed was unbelievable, but it was recorded by an Englishman named Flynn who was in the area at the time. Nandi was buried, and 12,000 warriors were ordered to guard her grave for a year. Then Shaka sent his impis or regiments to scour the countryside and punish all those who had failed to be present at the funeral.




Only after this had been done did he announce his orders for mourning: no crops were to be planted the following year; no milk was to be used — it was to be drawn from the cow and poured on to the earth and all women who were found with child during the following year were to be put to death with their husbands. As the staple diet of the Zulus consisted of grain and milk products, this order was little less than a sentence of national starvation. Shaka now developed a brooding and bitter spirit: “I have conquered the world but lost my mother,” he would cry, “and all taste has gone out of my life.” After two months of intensive mourning over Nandi’s death, the country was in a desperate state. The fields were overgrown with weeds and one of the staple diets, namely milk, was no longer on the food list. Total ruin now faced the Zulu nation, and it was obvious that those who had not been killed by Shaka would certainly starve to death.



Finally, one of Shaka’s warriors, Gala, determined to end the tyranny. “It is enough,” he told his family. “Someone must tell the Great Elephant. I shall do it.” Gala’s family stared at him in horror: to challenge the King’s wishes at such a moment was to ask for instant death. But Gala took his warrior’s stick and went to Bulawayo to see Shaka. When he reached the right distance from the royal enclosure he shouted: “O King, you have destroyed your country. What will you reign over? Will you create a new race? Shall we all die because your mother died? You have destroyed the country. Your country will be inhabited by other kings, for your people will die of hunger. As for me, O King, I say you are dead yourself through this mother of yours. Stuff a stone into your stomach. This is not the first time anyone has died in Zululand!”

Stuff a stone into your stomach! This was the Zulu way of saying “pull yourself together”. There was a gasp of horror from the onlookers, and the slayers took a grip on their clubs.



That a man should dare to speak to the King in such a way was unthinkable, and Gala’s life seemed to be measured in seconds. But Shaka turned to his Councillors and said: “What use are you to me? You never dared, like Gala, to tell me to stuff a stone in my stomach. Now let all men know that crops are to be planted as usual and that milk may be drunk again. And as for you,” said Shaka, turning to Gala, “you shall have a mighty gift of many cattle.”


What does “as it was” indicate?

It is used to indicate an event that really took place.

More examples:as it is: 事实上，像现在这样I’ve got enough on my plate as it is. I can’t help — I’ve got too much to do as it is (already).

As it was, he built the Zulu nation.



This sentence is an example of double negation. More examples:

Tony never left the bookshop without having browsed among the books to his heart’s content.The tourists who come to China to see sights will never feel satisfied without visiting the Great Wall.

… because he was absolutely ruthless, never moving without an escort of “slayers”, …



Paraphrase this sentence.

… if they didn’t show self-destructive courage in battle, ...

… if they showed anything less than suicidal courage in battle, …



… personal tragedy struck

What does this sentence mean?

... when something unfortunate and very sad happened to him personally.



Paraphrase the sentence. ... immediately after the death of his mother, something seemed to go wrong with his mind / he seemed to go out of his senses.

… on her death something seemed to snap in his mind.



What is special about the structure of this sentence?

The sentence is in inverted order for the purpose of emphasis. The original structure of the sentence is, “He announced his orders … only after this had been done.”


Only after this had been done did he announce his orders …


What figure of speech is adopted in this sentence? Euphemism.

… all women who were found with child …


What is the meaning of this sentence?

… all women who were found pregnant

More related expressions:She is having a baby.She is expecting.She is in the family way.She is knitting little booties.She is in a delicate condition.



What is meant by this sentence?

It means that this mourning order was the same as an order to make all the Zulu people die of hunger.

… this order was little less than a sentence of national starvation.



Paraphrase the sentence.

Shaka now became more and more gloomy, mournful and sorrowful each day.

Shaka now developed a brooding and bitter spirit: ...




The fields were covered with wild plants and one of the basic foods, milk, was not taken as food any more.

The fields were overgrown with weeds and one of the staple diets, namely milk, was no longer on the food list.


Gala’s family stared at him in horror: to challenge the King’s wishes at such a moment was to ask for instant death.

Why were they in horror?

They knew that Shaka was a ruthless king and he would kill anybody who dared to oppose him.



Gala’s family members looked fixedly at him with wide-open eyes in great fear — to go against the King’s wishes at the time of his deep sorrow was to run the risk of being put to death on the spot.


Why does the writer describe the onlookers’ response instead of Shaka’s immediately?

To create tension in readers.

There was a gasp of horror from the onlookers, and the slayers took a grip on their clubs.



The people standing by gasped because of extreme fear and surprise, and Shaka’s bodyguards held their clubs firmly.


Waterloo:meet one’s Waterloo: be finally and crushingly defeated in a contest (esp. after a period of success)

John fought instead of running and the bully met his Waterloo.The government has found it easy to persuade the employers to accept its plans, but it is expected that during discussions with the trade union, the government may meet its Waterloo.


John’s Waterloo was a woman. 约翰栽在一个女人手里。



Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821)

Napoleon VS Duke Wellington


might well: used to emphasize that an important point has been made


─ “And where is the money coming from?”─ “You might well ask!” 你这就问到点子上了！

Similar expressions:can / could well: easily

她自己完全买得起。She could well afford to pay for it herself.



can / could / may / might well: with good reason

我现在离开不太合适。I can’t very well leave now.

我没有理由拒绝帮助他们，是不是？I couldn’t very well refuse to help them, could I?

你算问对了。

─ “What are we doing here?”─ “You may well ask!”


escort: n.


1. one or more persons going with another or others, or with valuable goods, to protect them, or as an honor 2. one or more ships, aircraft, etc. giving protection or honor3. person or persons accompanying sb. for courtesy’s sake

When the Queen sailed, her yacht had an escort of ten destroyers and fifty aircraft.

He felt it an honor to be Julia Roberts’ escort to the Oscar red carpet.

vt. go with as an escort

Who will escort this young lady home?


formidable: adj.


1. causing fear or dread

a man with a formidable appearance

2. requiring great effort to deal with or overcome

Put the following into Chinese.

formidable obstacles 难以克服的障碍

formidable opposition 难以平服的反抗

formidable enemies 难以对付的敌人

formidable debts 难以清偿的债务


A personal disaster / an earthquake / lightning / an illness struck.

strike: have a sudden harmful effect on a person or an area



Logs snapped in the grate.

snap: v. to make a brisk, sharp cracking sound; break down


木头在壁炉里噼啪作响。

With so many people crowding onto the platform, its supports snapped.


The police scoured London for the thief.

scour: v. go rapidly into every part of (a place) looking for


The police were scouring about after the murderer.

scour about after / for sb. / sth.: go quickly in search or pursuit of


staple: n.

1. chief sort of article or goods produced or traded in


Cotton is one of the staples of Egypt.

2. chief material or element (of sth.)

The weather forms the staple of their conversation.

adj. forming the chief material or element (of sth.)

Is coffee still the staple product of Brazil?

Rice is the staple food in many Asian countries.


little less than: almost


quite a few(many)

Helping oneself to a dictionary without the owner’s permission is little less than theft. You are little less than a villain if you encourage a ten-year-old boy to smoke and play cards.

Similar kind of adjective phrases:Our soldiers fought with no less daring than skill. (Their daring equals their skill.)

not too good (bad)not bad (not good eithe

r)hardly the right thing to do (the wrong thing to do)nothing more or less than (just the same as)


brooding: adj. sad, sorrowful


brood: vt. (1) to sit on or hatch (eggs); (2) to be deep in thought; meditate; worry

He brooded over the insult for several days.他为受到的侮辱难受了几天。

He brooded about his decline in popularity. 他思忖着他的名望下降的原因。


challenge: v.


No one challenged the Theory of Relativity. 没有人对相对论提出异议。

Nora challenged Dick to a game of chess.诺拉向迪克挑战，要跟他下一盘棋。

1. call into question

2. test one’s abilities or resources in a demanding but stimulating undertaking


gasp:


She gasped at the wonderful view.

他们听到这消息惊讶得倒抽了一口气。

She managed to gasp out her name.

1. v. gasp (at sth.): to draw in the breath sharply, as from shock

2. v. gasp sth. out: to have difficulty breathing or speaking 透不过气；气喘吁吁地说

They gasped in astonishment at the news.

He came to the surface of the water gasping for air.



More examples:

a gasp of surprise a gasp of relief

3. n. a quick deep breath, usually caused by a strong emotion

他急促地喘着气。

His breath came in short gasps.



The area of a city is measured in square kilometers.

“In” is used to show quantity or number. More examples:

Tourists from various parts of the country come to visit the Great Wall in large numbers.


Useful Expressions

Passage Dictation

Interaction Activities

Guided Writing

Additional Reading



1. 遭遇失败

2. 不怕死的勇气

3. 令人敬畏的军队

4. 主食

5. 无异于

meet one’s Waterloo

suicidal courage

a formidable army

staple diet

little less than

Useful Expressions

6. 绝境 desperate state


7. 一蹶不振

8. 惊恐不安

develop a brooding spirit

a gasp of horror

9. 打起精神 pull yourself together

10. 生命危在旦夕 life measured in seconds


Passage Dictation

Listen to the following passage. Altogether the passage will be read to you four times. During the first reading, which will be read at normal speed, listen and try to understand the meaning. For the second and third readings, the passage will be read sentence by sentence, or phrase by phrase, with intervals of 15 seconds. The last reading will be read at normal speed again and during this time you should check your work.

Directions:



Zululand is a historic region of northeastern Natal, which is a province in the eastern part of the Republic of South Africa. Under the former South African Government’s policy of racial separation and separate development of the races, black South Africans had been divided into “national” groups. These groups were to develop their own political, social, and cultural life in homelands assigned to them by the government. Zululand historically was the northeastern section of Natal. It was inhabited by the Zulus, a people who became powerful in the early 19th century under their king, Shaka. In the middle of the 19th century, they warred with Boer settlers who went into the area, and later with the British. In 1879, the British invaded Zululand and were defeated by the Zulus. However, the Zulus were later defeated and the British took possession of Zululand in 1887. It became part of Natal in 1897.



The Courageous GalaSituation:Gala will never forget his experience talking with Shaka, King of the Zulus. He is now talking with his neighbor about this experience.

Interaction ActivitiesWhat I Think of Shaka

Having read the two texts about Shaka, what do you think of him? Would you speak favorably or unfavorably of him? Or half-half? Why? Think this question over carefully. Write down your opinions in the grid below. Give good reasons to support your opinions.




What I Think of Shaka

My Opinions My Reasons for Saying So

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.



Now discuss the question with your partner. While your partner is talking, you should take notes of what is being said and write them down.

What My Partner Thinks of Shaka

His / Her Opinions His / Her Reasons for Saying So

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.



After the pair work, either your partner or you will tell the class the result of your discussion.

Expressions for reference:The reason behind ... is / was to ...Only by doing ... could ...It may seem ..., but ...It is / was important to keep in mind that ...Think of ... this wayIt is / was obvious that ...


Guided Writing — Précis Writing

The following is a précis of “Shaka — King of the Zulus” in which some words are omitted. Please finish the passage by filling in the necessary details.

Directions:

Though Shaka was a in war and politics, he would have his nation had it not been for the courage of . Shaka the throne and became king of the Zulus when only 29, then he ruled the nation through and drastic . Whoever dared to displease him or showed little courage died. Thus he his kingdom 1,000 times.


genius______destroyed________

a minor chieftain______________ seized______

ruthlessness__________ measures________

increased________



However, Shaka with his mother’s death. He killed whoever failed to . After the funeral, Shaka ordered that should be poured on the earth and that no should be planted. These being the , starvation threatened the whole nation. Two months later, total faced the Zulu nation. Gala, one of the warriors, Shaka by destroying the country and urging him to . Shaka and rewarded Gala with many cattle.

collapsed________attend the funeral______________

milk____crops_____ staple diet________

ruin ____challenged_________ accusing him of _____________

pull himself together_________________came to his senses _______________


Guided Writing — Passage Writing

It has been said, “Not everything that is learned is contained in books.” Compare and contrast knowledge gained from experience with knowledge gained from books. In your opinion, which source is more important? Why? Write a composition of about 200 words.

Directions:



You are to write in three parts. In the first part, state specifically what your opinion is.

In the second part, support your opinion with

appropriate details. In the last part, bring what you have written to a natural

conclusion or a summary.You should supply an appropriate title for your

composition.



Learning from Experience There has been much talk recently about whether we should learn from books or we should learn from experience. Some people think that learning from experience is more important while others hold different opinions. Personally, I side with the former, in the belief that experience is the better teacher. Admittedly, learning from books, as advocated by many, has its active role to play in our academic life. It can put us in touch with the great minds and arm our heads with massive knowledge. However, there are numerous merits for learning from experience, too. First things first, experience is the source of knowledge and understanding as well as meaning. Nowhere can the importance of learning from experience be described so vividly and accurately as in the old saying “Nothing ever becomes real till it is experienced.” Take the human progress as an illustration.



Dating back to hundreds of thousands of years ago, we humans were utterly ignorant. But by incessant practices, our ancestors accumulated massive experience, from which they acquired a great knowledge, transforming our world from a primitive society into a highly-developed one. Second, unlike the theories recorded in books, experience can be applied to uses. When we are at work, what we need is the experience of practical application instead of the abstract theories in our books. Taking all these into account, we can draw a conclusion that learning from experience is more important than learning from books. Always remember the old saying given by Einstein — “The only source of knowledge is experience.”



Among the rolling hills of South Africa in the northeastern coastal province of KwaZulu-Natal (“Place of Heaven”), Zulu women work at the art of basket weaving. With the advent of the men moving off to seek work in the cities, the women have taken over what was once a dying craft, and turned it into an art form of international acclaim, and a major source of income for many families. Zulu artistry has been somewhat overshadowed by their unprecedented proclivity in the creation of weaponry: shields, clubs and spears.

African Baskets by Master Zulu Weavers




Nevertheless, Zulu basketry is considered some of the most desirable and collectable baskets available and will soon rival the native American baskets for rarity and value. The women work from their homes, where they can assimilate basket making into their normal routine — giving themselves time to raise their children, work in the fields, collect water and do other daily chores. Each basket will be unique in size, shape, pattern, weave and color and is a true collector’s item. All basket colors are natural and obtained from boiling roots, leaves, berries and bark or other organic material of indigenous flora. Every Zulu basket is made by hand, using indigenous raw materials. The fronds of the iLala palm (Hyphaene Coriacea) (pronounced EYE-LA-LA), which grows along the northeastern coast of KwaZulu-Natal Province, are commonly used to weave the fine, watertight baskets.


Coils of marsh reeds and grasses are covered by either a figure-eight or wrapped stitch of the iLala palm fronds, many of which are dyed colors. ILala palm fronds when dried have a natural cream color. The raw materials must be collected, dried and prepared or dyed. So getting the raw materials ready is a lengthy process and these preparations can equal the time it takes to actually weave a basket. A basket is started from the bottom. The coils of water grasses are wrapped by split iLala palm fronds. Some types of Zulu baskets can hold liquid because of the tightness of the coil / weave and the material used. When liquids (traditionally home brewed beer) are kept in the baskets, the material swells, making the basket watertight, while the outside sweats. This keeps the liquid cool by means of evaporation much like an evaporative (swamp) cooler. The products of grass weaving and basketry are associated with the



widest possible range of activities throughout a Zulu’s lifetime, touching virtually every domestic, social, and religious function. These baskets are evidence of the expertise of these artisans and their ingenuity for using indigenous plants. Traditionally Zulu women weave the African Zulu baskets using age-old, time-honored methods that are passed on from mother to child. The patterns, each with their own meaning, vary from decorative bands to intricate triangles, diamonds, zig-zags, and checkerboard motifs. When first starting to learn, a weaver is an “apprentice”. From apprentice a weaver becomes a “junior weaver”. Most experienced weavers are considered “standard weavers” while a few are “superior standard” and only a few become “collector quality” or “Masters”. Very few become “World Class Masters”. A “Master Weaver” is recognized by the overall quality of the basket, especially the tightness of weave and



the intricacy, as well as size and shapes she is capable of producing and consistency of her work, pattern and design. Master weavers also produce all the products (dyed materials, etc.) for their baskets and are typically champions in their communities — encouraging other weavers to excel and weave better quality baskets through example. Following in the footsteps of their mothers and grandmothers, young Zulu girls are taught to weave using scraps left over from their mother’s or grandmother’s basketry work. They entertain themselves and play, learning the various designs and methods of basket making. By the time they reach their teens, they are fully conversant in the age-old art of Zulu Basket weaving. When a village has a master weaver, she is a champion — passing on her knowledge, skill and example to younger less experienced weavers. Often we see the finest baskets coming from villages with Master weavers. When a village lacks a champion or master weaver, the baskets are often inconsistent, of poorer quality and refinement.



1. The Zulu art of basket weaving has always been a flourishing industry.

2. The Zulu baskets are highly collectable because of their rarity and value.

3. Women usually spend all of their time weaving baskets since it is one of the major incomes for their families.

Read the passage “African Baskets by Master Zulu Weavers” and judge whether the following statements are true or false.

Directions:

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4. All baskets are hand-made and the materials are obtained from the indigenous flora, which need to be dried and dyed.

5. The title for weavers is divided into six grades according to the quality of products they have made.

6. Zulu girls are taught to weave by their mothers or grandmothers at an early age.

7. We may infer from the passage that the Zulu men had never done the weaving.

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8. A master weaver plays a very important role in the village for he / she is the guarantee of quality.

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Directions: Find a word in the passage “African Baskets by Master Zulu Weavers” that means:

1. coming or arrival (Para. 1)2. absorb into (Para. 2)3. native (Para. 2)4. so tightly made that water cannot enter or escape (Para. 3)5. to release moisture (Para. 5)6. inventive skill or imagination (Para. 6)7. do or be better than (Para. 7)8. familiar (Para. 8)

1. advent 2. assimilate 3. indigenous 4. watertight 5. sweat 6. ingenuity 7. excel 8. conversant

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