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 king’s 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...