By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
A new Zulu king will be crowned following a year of feuding over who should ascend to the throne of the country’s most influential traditional monarchy.
King Misuzulu kaZwelitini is set to succeed his father, Goodwill Zwelithini, who died in March last year after 50 years in charge.
Following his killing of a lion this week, King Misuzulu, is set to enter the kraal this weekend as part of his ascension to the throne.
There, he will take part in a secret rite designed to present the new monarch to his legendary ancestors.
The University of KwaZulu-Natal academic and cultural expert, Dr Gugu Mazibuko, on the significance of the lion killing and entering of the kraal.
“It is very important for the King to kill a lion before his coronation because the King is always referred to as an ‘Ingonyama’ or ‘Isilo’ which mean ‘lion’. So he has to kill a lion and return with the lion as it symbolises his power and his greatness,” Mazibuko explained.
She said the entering of the kraal is significant in the sense that the king is introduced by royal family elders to the nation’s ancestors, to the late King and also he pledges his leadership to the nation.
“The nation will also pledge to be under the King’s leadership and he will also pledge to the Amabhuto and they will pledge to be part of his life. Every Zulu King is always surrounded by Amabutho,” Mazibuko said.
This is a memorable ceremony which is accompanied by sacred rituals that have been conducted for an entire week as the King has been preparing for his coronation and a variety of sacred rituals have been performed.
The King is already on the throne but after that he will be able to formally begin the work of the Zulu nation,” she said.
Mazibuko said when the King returned, a white bull was slaughtered and the skin will be used to make his shield which he will carry throughout his reign.
The Zulus are South Africa’s largest ethnicity with more than 12 million people who are mainly located in the coastal province of KwaZulu-Natal.
The Zulu nation is historically recognised as having waged fierce resistance to British colonialism under King Shaka Zulu from 1816 to 1828.
Misuzulu is the eldest son of Zwelithini with his third wife Queen Mantfombi Dlamini-Zulu, who is said to enjoy an elevated status among his six wives as she was born from the royal house of Eswatini (formerly known as Swaziland), the last remaining absolute monarchy in Africa.
Queen Dlamini-Zulu held the title of Regent of the Zulu nation after her husband’s death but died about a month later, naming her eldest son Misuzulu as the successor in her will.
Isilo Samabandla onke! Bayede! #InkosiEsibayeni pic.twitter.com/0Vno6kmrbe
— KZN Provincial Gov (@kzngov) August 20, 2022
Liphumile ilanga! Undunankulu wesizwe samaZulu, uMntwana waKwaPhindangene amukela iSilo uMisuzulu KaZwelithini kumkhosi woKungena eSibayeni kweSilo obusesigodlweni KwaKhangelamankengane, KwaNongoma. #InkosiEsibayeni pic.twitter.com/rkiHgQQdp3
— KZN Provincial Gov (@kzngov) August 20, 2022
Watch Lie in the Video Below:
Video Courtesy of Bayede TV.