DOI Page / Citation link:
https://doi.org/10.11588/diglit.49271#0274
The Zulus and the Spartans
199
ment was stationed in a military kraal, or ekanda. The regiment contained from 600 to
800 or 1,000 men;5 that at Dingaan’s capital, Umkunginglove (Umgungindhlovu), for
example, was about 900 strong. This regiment differed from others in that it was largely
made up of “chiefs of smaller towns bearing the appellation of indoona or umnumzana
(head of a village)”; and “it is evidently with a political view of state surveillance”,
writes Gardiner, “that the most influential of these are formed into this description of
bodyguard,6 and that all in rotation are obliged to appear and reside for some time in the
capital, where they become not only hostages for the good conduct of those dependent
upon them, but are thereby prevented from plotting any scheme for the subversion of
the existing government”. Whereas this regiment may have consisted of veterans alone,
and whereas we know’ that there were others constituted entirely of young warriors, it
appears that the typical Zulu regiment of the active army was made up of the two classes
in conjunction.7 The young warriors, moreover, were of two kinds:8 those who, like the
veterans, wore the characteristic Zulu headring,9 and the “boys”, as those who lacked
it were named in contradistinction to the “men” who had it. In addition there were
associated with each regiment children who had not yet entered the army.
Fynn, on the other hand, estimates the troops present on that occasion at 12,000 (Ibid., p. 76). He nowhere states
the strength of the standing army, but computes Chaka’s “effective warriors” at 50,000 (Ibid., p. 66), and reports
that this number, including, however, the boys and women in the commissariat, took part along with himself in a
great military expedition. Vide infra, p. 226. Isaacs, op. cit., vol. 2, p. 325, and Kay, op. cit., p. 403 (misquoted as
50,000 by Isaacs, op. cit., vol. 1, p. 328, and again by Shooter, op. cit., p. 338), put the number in constant readiness
at 15,000. Gardiner agrees with them, as may be seen from the data given in the text. Grout, op. cit., p. 73, puts
his active army at 12,000 to 15,000, and gives him still greater reserves. Arbousset, op. cit., p. 270, computes
both at from 15,000 to 20,000 and the total population at 100,000 souls. Gardiner, op. cit., p. 92, states, but not as
a matter of personal knowledge, that Dingaan could put 50,000 men in the field. Kay, op. cit., p. 403, doubles this
total for Chaka and is followed by Isaacs, op. cit., vol. 1, p. 328; vol. 2, p. 325. Dingaan met the Boers at Blood
River with 9,000 to 10,000 men in 36 “regiments”, according to Bantjes (ap. Bird, op. cit., p. 448). Delegorgue
(ap. Ibid., vol. 1, p. 241) computes the total army of the Zulus at the accession of Panda, in 1840, at 20,000 to 40,000
for foreign service, and 20,000 reserves. G. McC. Theal, History of South Africa, London, 1888, vol. 3, p. 297, con-
cludes that Chaka had a highly disciplined army of 40,000 or 50,000 men. He could probably put twice as many
men into the field as his successors. Vide infra, p. 202, sq.
6 Gardiner, op. cit., p. 92 sqq.; cf. Arbousset, op. cit., p. 272; Delegorgue, op. cit., vol. 1, p. 396, et passim.
6 Called umpagati by Gardiner. This word means, perhaps, “guards”. See especially Fynn (ap. Bird, op.
cit., p. 119), who claims that “every man and boy who is in the chief's circle is called an umpakali”. Thus Hewetson
writes (Church Mission. Rec., 1838, p. 276): “This morning we saw two large bodies of the Zoolu army coming down
the hills. The black shields showed the regiment of boys, or those who are not suffered to shave their heads, not
having distinguished themselves in battle; the others, with white shields, showed the Umkunginglove Regiment,
or Body-guards”. The body-guard acted, however, as a Council; hence umpakati also means “councillors” (Isaacs,
ap. Bird, op. cit., p. 173, n. 1, and F. Owen, Church Mission. Rec., 1838, p. 252).
7 Gardiner, op. cit., p. 92. It is possible, however, that Gardiner means no more than that there were veteran
officers in the regiments of young warriors, and children tending cattle at every ekanda.
8 Called by Gardiner isimporthlo and izinseezwa. See also Shooter, op. cit., p. 338.
9 There is much difference of report as to the significance of the head-ring. Whether it signified puberty, service
with credit in war, or matrimony, it was in any case given to his soldiers by the king. In the regular army, prior
to Dingaan’s indulgence re matrimony, it can hardly have signified anything but distinguished service.
199
ment was stationed in a military kraal, or ekanda. The regiment contained from 600 to
800 or 1,000 men;5 that at Dingaan’s capital, Umkunginglove (Umgungindhlovu), for
example, was about 900 strong. This regiment differed from others in that it was largely
made up of “chiefs of smaller towns bearing the appellation of indoona or umnumzana
(head of a village)”; and “it is evidently with a political view of state surveillance”,
writes Gardiner, “that the most influential of these are formed into this description of
bodyguard,6 and that all in rotation are obliged to appear and reside for some time in the
capital, where they become not only hostages for the good conduct of those dependent
upon them, but are thereby prevented from plotting any scheme for the subversion of
the existing government”. Whereas this regiment may have consisted of veterans alone,
and whereas we know’ that there were others constituted entirely of young warriors, it
appears that the typical Zulu regiment of the active army was made up of the two classes
in conjunction.7 The young warriors, moreover, were of two kinds:8 those who, like the
veterans, wore the characteristic Zulu headring,9 and the “boys”, as those who lacked
it were named in contradistinction to the “men” who had it. In addition there were
associated with each regiment children who had not yet entered the army.
Fynn, on the other hand, estimates the troops present on that occasion at 12,000 (Ibid., p. 76). He nowhere states
the strength of the standing army, but computes Chaka’s “effective warriors” at 50,000 (Ibid., p. 66), and reports
that this number, including, however, the boys and women in the commissariat, took part along with himself in a
great military expedition. Vide infra, p. 226. Isaacs, op. cit., vol. 2, p. 325, and Kay, op. cit., p. 403 (misquoted as
50,000 by Isaacs, op. cit., vol. 1, p. 328, and again by Shooter, op. cit., p. 338), put the number in constant readiness
at 15,000. Gardiner agrees with them, as may be seen from the data given in the text. Grout, op. cit., p. 73, puts
his active army at 12,000 to 15,000, and gives him still greater reserves. Arbousset, op. cit., p. 270, computes
both at from 15,000 to 20,000 and the total population at 100,000 souls. Gardiner, op. cit., p. 92, states, but not as
a matter of personal knowledge, that Dingaan could put 50,000 men in the field. Kay, op. cit., p. 403, doubles this
total for Chaka and is followed by Isaacs, op. cit., vol. 1, p. 328; vol. 2, p. 325. Dingaan met the Boers at Blood
River with 9,000 to 10,000 men in 36 “regiments”, according to Bantjes (ap. Bird, op. cit., p. 448). Delegorgue
(ap. Ibid., vol. 1, p. 241) computes the total army of the Zulus at the accession of Panda, in 1840, at 20,000 to 40,000
for foreign service, and 20,000 reserves. G. McC. Theal, History of South Africa, London, 1888, vol. 3, p. 297, con-
cludes that Chaka had a highly disciplined army of 40,000 or 50,000 men. He could probably put twice as many
men into the field as his successors. Vide infra, p. 202, sq.
6 Gardiner, op. cit., p. 92 sqq.; cf. Arbousset, op. cit., p. 272; Delegorgue, op. cit., vol. 1, p. 396, et passim.
6 Called umpagati by Gardiner. This word means, perhaps, “guards”. See especially Fynn (ap. Bird, op.
cit., p. 119), who claims that “every man and boy who is in the chief's circle is called an umpakali”. Thus Hewetson
writes (Church Mission. Rec., 1838, p. 276): “This morning we saw two large bodies of the Zoolu army coming down
the hills. The black shields showed the regiment of boys, or those who are not suffered to shave their heads, not
having distinguished themselves in battle; the others, with white shields, showed the Umkunginglove Regiment,
or Body-guards”. The body-guard acted, however, as a Council; hence umpakati also means “councillors” (Isaacs,
ap. Bird, op. cit., p. 173, n. 1, and F. Owen, Church Mission. Rec., 1838, p. 252).
7 Gardiner, op. cit., p. 92. It is possible, however, that Gardiner means no more than that there were veteran
officers in the regiments of young warriors, and children tending cattle at every ekanda.
8 Called by Gardiner isimporthlo and izinseezwa. See also Shooter, op. cit., p. 338.
9 There is much difference of report as to the significance of the head-ring. Whether it signified puberty, service
with credit in war, or matrimony, it was in any case given to his soldiers by the king. In the regular army, prior
to Dingaan’s indulgence re matrimony, it can hardly have signified anything but distinguished service.