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GLBZULU
141
ZULU
Somewhere on the plains of Natalia, an Nguni bull gazes nonchalantly at the stern, upright figure as it cuts purposefully across the rugged, thorn infested veld, disregarding the accumulating bed of thorns that imbed themselves into the flesh of his soles. He makes his way towards a mass of warriors, congregated on the veld behind the kings kraal.
He stops short of the murmuring mass and silently scrutinises his warriors through corneal stained eyes.
His command is sensed more than seen and a silence engulfs the ranks as they seat themselves and lower their gaze.
The Zulu Commrade Commander in Chief; Shaka; ignores the respect that he receives and expects from all and instructs his warring party of their latest plight….
Somewhere in the vast wilderness of Natalia, a people are approaching the dawn of annihilation.
Traditional Zulu praise song
He is Shaka the unshakeable,
Thunderer-while-sitting, son of Menzi
He is the bird that preys on other birds,
The battle-axe that excels over other battle-axes in sharpness,
He is the long-strided pursuer, son of Ndaba,
Who pursued the sun and the moon.
He is the great hubbub like the rocks of Nkandla
Where elephants take shelter
When the heavens frown...
I choose to manipulate G9M base male, as the brief authorised it. Instead of doing an ambitious model, I choose to attempt to imagine what Shaka was like. Born in the late 1700's until his assassination in 1827. This powerful troubled young man built the Zulu people to a power beyond belief. Capable of opposing a gun powder yielding army and defeating them with Assagai and shield, in various battles as recorded in South African history.
Adorned with a Blue Crane feather (South Africa's national bird) this athletic like individual, changed the way his Zulu tribesman fought his opponents. Face to face, up personal and straight at you with his bull head attack, advancing straight into the enemy formation with his best experienced warriors, as the younger warriors encircled the enemy on both sides, in a horn like fashion, and attacked from the flanks. An idea borne from watching the Nguni bulls fighting in his youth. He striped himself of all that hindered his movement in his quest to defeat his opponent, including his sandals. Teenager apprentice warriors would follow behind the warring party, carrying the warrior's bedding and food.
He did not accept defeat. Cruel circumstances would befall those who did not succeed. The weak, maimed, disabled and decrepit, and whoever else he decided; were slaughtered.
I tried to envisage him standing before his army, ready to issue strategy instructions.
Somewhere on the plains of Natalia, an Nguni bull gazes nonchalantly at the stern, upright figure as it cuts purposefully across the rugged, thorn infested veld, disregarding the accumulating bed of thorns that imbed themselves into the flesh of his soles. He makes his way towards a mass of warriors, congregated on the veld behind the kings kraal.
He stops short of the murmuring mass and silently scrutinises his warriors through corneal stained eyes.
His command is sensed more than seen and a silence engulfs the ranks as they seat themselves and lower their gaze.
The Zulu Commrade Commander in Chief; Shaka; ignores the respect that he receives and expects from all and instructs his warring party of their latest plight….
Somewhere in the vast wilderness of Natalia, a people are approaching the dawn of annihilation.
Traditional Zulu praise song
He is Shaka the unshakeable,
Thunderer-while-sitting, son of Menzi
He is the bird that preys on other birds,
The battle-axe that excels over other battle-axes in sharpness,
He is the long-strided pursuer, son of Ndaba,
Who pursued the sun and the moon.
He is the great hubbub like the rocks of Nkandla
Where elephants take shelter
When the heavens frown...
I choose to manipulate G9M base male, as the brief authorised it. Instead of doing an ambitious model, I choose to attempt to imagine what Shaka was like. Born in the late 1700's until his assassination in 1827. This powerful troubled young man built the Zulu people to a power beyond belief. Capable of opposing a gun powder yielding army and defeating them with Assagai and shield, in various battles as recorded in South African history.
Adorned with a Blue Crane feather (South Africa's national bird) this athletic like individual, changed the way his Zulu tribesman fought his opponents. Face to face, up personal and straight at you with his bull head attack, advancing straight into the enemy formation with his best experienced warriors, as the younger warriors encircled the enemy on both sides, in a horn like fashion, and attacked from the flanks. An idea borne from watching the Nguni bulls fighting in his youth. He striped himself of all that hindered his movement in his quest to defeat his opponent, including his sandals. Teenager apprentice warriors would follow behind the warring party, carrying the warrior's bedding and food.
He did not accept defeat. Cruel circumstances would befall those who did not succeed. The weak, maimed, disabled and decrepit, and whoever else he decided; were slaughtered.
I tried to envisage him standing before his army, ready to issue strategy instructions.
! REPORT
drjivago
Karma: 11,914
Thu, Oct 24, 2024Good noted and true to the original. Best of luck and well done, Dwindt. 
drjivago
Karma: 11,914
Thu, Oct 24, 2024The Nguni Cow spots match the local's neck outfit quite well. You probably chose this intentionally, lol. 
This one seems more like the warrior Zulu.
'In the Nguni languages, iZulu means heaven or weather. The Zulu (also amaZulu, means "sky") are an African ethnic group of the Bantu with more then eleven million people and the largest ethnic group in South Africa. They live mainly in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. The language of the Zulu is isiZulu'.
'Cattle were of symbolic and material importance to the commoners as well. The Zulu expression “umnumzane ubonakala ngesibaya sakhe(the man's social status is seen by the size of his kraal) signifies the centrality of cattle as a form of wealth even among commoners'
'Zulu established a system of patronage known as ukusisa. In terms of this system, a wealthy Zulu man (umnumzane) loaned a few cattle to a poor person without a herd of his own. Each recipient of cattle through this practice was responsible for their care and got the right to milk them for nourishment and could keep some of their offspring when he returned or repaid the loan to the owner. There were several conservation advantages in these patronage relations. The livestock was spread over large geographical areas, which prevented complete decimation of the herds in the event of natural disasters such as drought or cattle diseases. Politically, firm allegiances and alliances were formed between the providers and recipients of patronage. Furthermore, the recipients of the favours took care of the wealthy men’s cattle'. S.Africa net. ...
The men contribute to society by acting as defenders, hunters, and lovers.The Zulu men are also in charge of herding the cattle, educating themselves on the lives of disciplined warriors, creating weapons, and learning the art of stick fighting. Viki.
Very good scene indeed..
This one seems more like the warrior Zulu. 'In the Nguni languages, iZulu means heaven or weather. The Zulu (also amaZulu, means "sky") are an African ethnic group of the Bantu with more then eleven million people and the largest ethnic group in South Africa. They live mainly in the South African province of KwaZulu-Natal. The language of the Zulu is isiZulu'.
'Cattle were of symbolic and material importance to the commoners as well. The Zulu expression “umnumzane ubonakala ngesibaya sakhe(the man's social status is seen by the size of his kraal) signifies the centrality of cattle as a form of wealth even among commoners'
'Zulu established a system of patronage known as ukusisa. In terms of this system, a wealthy Zulu man (umnumzane) loaned a few cattle to a poor person without a herd of his own. Each recipient of cattle through this practice was responsible for their care and got the right to milk them for nourishment and could keep some of their offspring when he returned or repaid the loan to the owner. There were several conservation advantages in these patronage relations. The livestock was spread over large geographical areas, which prevented complete decimation of the herds in the event of natural disasters such as drought or cattle diseases. Politically, firm allegiances and alliances were formed between the providers and recipients of patronage. Furthermore, the recipients of the favours took care of the wealthy men’s cattle'. S.Africa net. ...
The men contribute to society by acting as defenders, hunters, and lovers.The Zulu men are also in charge of herding the cattle, educating themselves on the lives of disciplined warriors, creating weapons, and learning the art of stick fighting. Viki.
Very good scene indeed..
dwindt
Karma: 5,451
Fri, Oct 25, 2024Thank you DrJ. Although Nguni has many variations of shades of colours, the AmaMbatha (bib around the neck) is a Leopard (Ingwe) skin and is a tradition practiced by the Zulu people. It is a representation of power. It is said that Shaka would bestow such a gift upon chosen clansmen, as a reward for various deeds. Obviously, a great honour. It is also a symbol of status. A Leopard head band (Umqhele) is also a symbol of status. Leopard teeth and claw necklace (Amazipho) would also represent achievement and be worn by kings and ranking officers, chiefs (Indunas).
The Nguni bull not only represents Shaka's Notorious battle formation, "The horn;" but also his state of mind. His is so confident in his strength that he would turn his back on such a powerful being
Big woman, to a Zulu also represents wealth.
Having to many cattle, proved a problem. Grassland plains were over-grazed which in turn caused soil erosion hence resulting in less grazing. The move to better pastures would ultimately raise problems due to other tribes occupying such grazing and lands which resulted in....now you're understanding South African history. Soon the Dutch or Boer moving away from the British, who arrived 200 years after them and decided to claim all for the Queen, would meet in the middle and slog it all out. Tremendously strong souls bleed in the fields of this beloved country.
The Nguni bull not only represents Shaka's Notorious battle formation, "The horn;" but also his state of mind. His is so confident in his strength that he would turn his back on such a powerful being
Big woman, to a Zulu also represents wealth.
Having to many cattle, proved a problem. Grassland plains were over-grazed which in turn caused soil erosion hence resulting in less grazing. The move to better pastures would ultimately raise problems due to other tribes occupying such grazing and lands which resulted in....now you're understanding South African history. Soon the Dutch or Boer moving away from the British, who arrived 200 years after them and decided to claim all for the Queen, would meet in the middle and slog it all out. Tremendously strong souls bleed in the fields of this beloved country.
Excellent and realistic portrait of Shaka. He'd make a good product. Did you make the huts?
REPLY
! REPORT
dwindt
Karma: 5,451
Thu, Oct 24, 2024Thanks so much Bonj. I was trying to imagine what he would be like, how he would be built etc.
Yes, I modelled the huts to. It has a partly finished interior as well.
Yes, I modelled the huts to. It has a partly finished interior as well.
bonj
Karma: 12,162
Thu, Oct 24, 2024Very true to life, I especially like the attention to the textures, the knees, elbows and sand on the feet is a nice touch.
The bull is a nice detail as well as the huts. You should put the huts on the market
The bull is a nice detail as well as the huts. You should put the huts on the market
dwindt
Karma: 5,451
Thu, Oct 24, 2024I remember working with the African staff on the farm. Without the luxuries of creams and oils, the staffs' hands, knees, elbows and knuckles often developed callouses on them. Their feet would crack and become very leathery and hard. My feet became like that to as I was mostly barefoot and in shorts. They were lean, wiry built and carried very little body fat but were as tough as nails. We all were back in the day. Hard work, hard play. I once helped 2 of the staff (both my friends) unload 3 train truckloads of fertilizer. The quicks of my nails on my hands were even calloused. I don't know which stung more. The fertilizer that burnt the cuts and blisters in my hands, the sweat that reacted with the chemicals and burnt you all over including your eyes, or the sun burn from unloading for 3 quarters of the day in the sourcing sun. (Yes, I had no shirt on)
They were built the same in the army. I can't remember ever coming across a fat, let alone a plump African soldier in the bush and they could move the whole day. We all could. General Savimbi became an S.A. allie in the 80's. I had 2 ex Angolan soldier wearing Cuban camo and an AK47 walking patrol alongside me. Whilst I carried an H frame with a selected variation of the necessities needed from 14 ration packs to survive a 2-week patrol and 5 liters of water on me (apart from my ammo, sleeping bag); they had 1 liter of water and about a kg of maize meal each, plus a moon blanket and ammo etc. I hardly saw them eat.
I may if I ever complete the huts...lol.
They were built the same in the army. I can't remember ever coming across a fat, let alone a plump African soldier in the bush and they could move the whole day. We all could. General Savimbi became an S.A. allie in the 80's. I had 2 ex Angolan soldier wearing Cuban camo and an AK47 walking patrol alongside me. Whilst I carried an H frame with a selected variation of the necessities needed from 14 ration packs to survive a 2-week patrol and 5 liters of water on me (apart from my ammo, sleeping bag); they had 1 liter of water and about a kg of maize meal each, plus a moon blanket and ammo etc. I hardly saw them eat.
I may if I ever complete the huts...lol.
