Zulu Warrior

[JP Vieira]

Hello

Here is one of my illustrations

http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/jp_v...cture41238.aspx

It depicts a XIX century Zulu Warrior.

Best regards

JP Vieira

[ASCLEPIADES]

Hello

Here is one of my illustrations

http://community.imaginefx.com/fxpose/jp_v...cture41238.aspx

It depicts a XIX century Zulu Warrior.

Best regards

JP Vieira

Salve! Very impressive, congratulations! My favorite is still the Seleucid one (what an elephant!).

[caldrail]

Not bad, but the blade is wrong. An assegai had a leaf shaped blade as I recall.

[Gaius Paulinus Maximus]

Not bad, but the blade is wrong. An assegai had a leaf shaped blade as I recall.

 

Here's a drawing of King Shaka of the Zula, the spear does seem to point more towards Caldrails description.

But then I found this on Wikipedia which sounds more like the spear in JP's picture.

 

 

 

Shaka is often said to have been dissatisfied with the long throwing assegai and credited with introducing a new variant of the weapon—the Ikwala was a short stabbing spear, with a long, swordlike spearhead. It was named, allegedly, for the sound made as it went in, then out, of the body. Shaka is also supposed to have introduced a larger, heavier shield made of cowhide and to have taught each warrior how to use the shield's left side to hook the enemy's shield to the right, exposing his ribs for a fatal spear stab. The throwing spear was not discarded, but used as an initial missile weapon, until the impis closed with the enemy, hand to hand

Introduction of a shorter stabbing spear area makes practical sense if an attack is to be pressed home, versus ritualized stand-off encounters involving throwing spears, as is the use of a larger shield in such close quarters combat. Implementation of a more reliable hand-held weapon would have been a must for aggressive raiding operations implemented under the Shakan regime.

Edited July 9, 2007 by Gaius Paulinus Maximus

[caldrail]

Shaka of course was long gone by the time the zulu's fought our lads at Rorkes Drift. He was something of a merciless tyrant too, eventually bumped off by his own family, a real nasty headcase. I haven't seen any assegai with euro-style blades and that description is the first time I've come across them. However, photographs of zulu's from the Rorkes Drift era show the more primitive and more easily mass produced leaf shaped blade. Also by that period there was a tendency toward elaborate headdresses, even for battle. The idea was that it helped camouflage the zulu in long grass, though I suspect status also had something to do with it as most photographs show the double head ring.

[ASCLEPIADES]

Shaka of course was long gone by the time the zulu's fought our lads at Rorkes Drift. He was something of a merciless tyrant too, eventually bumped off by his own family, a real nasty headcase. I haven't seen any assegai with euro-style blades and that description is the first time I've come across them. However, photographs of zulu's from the Rorkes Drift era show the more primitive and more easily mass produced leaf shaped blade. Also by that period there was a tendency toward elaborate headdresses, even for battle. The idea was that it helped camouflage the zulu in long grass, though I suspect status also had something to do with it as most photographs show the double head ring.

As is commonly the case for colonial wars, that image of Shaka probable comes from his enemies, specially the accounts of Nathaniel Isaccs and Henry Finn. You could think in Mithridates as a similar case for Rome Modern historians show a much more sympathetic image, as a great military and political leader. HERE is an example.

[caldrail]

Not in this case. Shaka was a true psychopath who rather enjoyed putting his men through tortuous activities. He once got annoyed at his senior warriors, and had them dancing on thorns in bare feet for a whole day. His family were a little more sympathetic and asked him why he needed to do this. Shaka apparently shrugged and told them they'll be sorry for a day or two, then tougher afterward. Honestly, Shaka was a ruthless dictator in every sense of the word. After all, his family poisoned him because they feared for their own lives. The view of Shaka that we know comes from his own people. In fact, Cetshwayo raised his rebellion against britan in emulation of him, although it was his brother(?) Dabulumanzi who attacked Rorkes Drift. The film Zulu is very accurate in its depiction of the event, and the actor who played Dabulumanzi looks identical to the existing photographs.

[ASCLEPIADES]

Salve, C! This is the kind of suspicious stories that you hear any time a colonial power finds resistance to its conquests. It is always a sweeter tale if you liberate a conquered people from a tyrant than if you had done it for mere greediness. (Sounds familiar?). You clearly don't give any credit to the accounts of the native people (once again, you could follow the last link, or you could do your own search). Good luck.

PS: I haven't seen the film "Zulu" (1964, at the end of the colonial period); from what I have read, it appears to be a good film (supposedly the 8th best war film) but historically inaccuracies had been reoeatedly noted. It is certainly not an African testimony. I suppose that it is like taking

Edited July 15, 2007 by ASCLEPIADES

[caldrail]

This is Dabulamanzi himself sometime around 1879.

 

The 60's film Zulu is as close to the official story as was possible, although the real characters involved weren't the same. Stanley Bakers character actually wanted to cut and run in real life, and the effete commissary Dalton was in reality the stout courageous chap who insisted that the lads stand their ground and show the natives what the british were made of. It was in fact a political cover up, but the film represents the reported story very accurately indeed. Not african testimony? You might like to know that the african version of events agrees closely. The zulu's are a proud nation and in many ways justifiably so. The have an oral tradition of warfare. Shaka is held in awe and one should remember that he terrified his own people. It was only when he started to exterminate them that his fate was sealed. The same tradition remembers the british defenders of rorkes drift as fellow braves, a rare distinction for europeans, and therefore honours them as well as confirming the british account.

 

Regarding the wikpedia entry given above, there are some inaccuracies. Originally the zulu's used a lightweight spear in combat for throwing, but as shaka noted, the spear wasn't damaging enough and the enemy might throw it back. So instead he introduced the assegai, the melee spear, a shortened weapon with a broader cutting blade. The image depicting the assegai with a european blade is wrong, and therefore the wikpedia account is misleading. The artist who drew the picture obviously hadn't seen a real assegai, and therefore drew a spear as he recognised it. An artists impression.

 

Here's a pic of a fierce chappie from the period, a real zulu.

Edited July 15, 2007 by caldrail

[ASCLEPIADES]

Thank you, C. I really have to see this film.

[JP Vieira]

Hello

Many thanks to all for your commentaries.

Best regards

JP Vieira

[caldrail]

Hey keep painting, they're not bad. The only thing that really lets you down is details of equipment and clothing. You've certainly been putting my efforts to shame!

[JP Vieira]

Hello

I post illustrations at this forum to show them to other members and, also, to receive commentaries both artistically and historically.

I appreciate all the persons that take the time to look at my illustrations and make commentaries: constructive criticism is always welcome by me, because it helps to improve my work (artistically and historically accuracy).

I take every comment (from anyone) with the most respect and give it the most consideration; as I said they are helpful in improving my work.

I do not wish to make anyone feel ashamed by any of my comments (or lack of them).

That been said I wish to express (again) my most heartfelt thank you to all, that look at and comment on my work.

I will continue to post my work at this and other forums and hope that everyone can enjoy them and (if they want) to make constructive criticism.

Many thank to all

Best regards

JP Vieira

[Lex]

Not in this case. Shaka was a true psychopath who rather enjoyed putting his men through tortuous activities.

Yes, even here in South Africa, it's still taught at school that he's a genocidal psychopath. Surprisingly, considering the current state of affairs, there has been no attempt at anything politically correct or making him some sort of 'myth' figure.

 

And he was responsible for the mass migrations of blacks (Xhosa's) fleeing his terror and eventually coming into contact with the whites in the Cape. Contrary to popular believe, there were originally no black people in the Cape Colony only the San and the Hottentots who mostly died out from disease brought by the whites, who themselves were fleeing religious persecution in Europe as early as the 1600's...

 

The Boers (subsequently fleeing British oppression) when they arrived in the Transvaal were quite surprised that the territory was virtually uninhabited due to the wide-scale massacres and desolation caused by the Zulu's.

Edited September 1, 2007 by Lex

[ASCLEPIADES]

Clearly, not all the South African people think on the same way (probably beginning with the Zulu themselves).

 

An example in English.

 

An example in Afrikaans.

Edited September 1, 2007 by ASCLEPIADES