MZANZI ISSUE 16

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behind the royal compound into which was carved a labyrinth
of different pathways and stairs. Only one, known to the king
and his close guards and aids, led to a cave at the top, filled
with weapons and large rocks. In case of an attack on the
royal house, the idea was that the king would – as in ancient
times – flee up the labyrinth path to the cave from where he
would be defended using the ancient firearms and hurling the
large rocks onto the attackers.
Zulu King Zwelithini lives in his royal palace at Nongoma in
KwaZulu-Natal. It is here that he delivers important speeches
and conducts all his royal ceremonies such as the annual reed
dance when bare-breasted maidens dance for him in the hope
of being selected as his next bride. In fact, Zwelithini has six
wives and has fathered 28 children at last count a year ago.
Zwelithini comes from a long line of 27 royal predecessors,
the last eight of whom have been kings of the House of Zulu.
Apart form his own official residence, Zwelithinbi has in the
past been criticised for the opulence of individual palaces he
has built for his wives.
There are various traditional tribal cultural centres in South Africa
where one can learn more about the cultures, the practices
and the royal traditions of the various South African tribes.
A good starting place is the Lesedi Cultural Village situated
within the Cradle of Humankind in North West Province. To
learn more about King Zwelithini’s people and forebears,
including Shaka kaSenzangakhona (ca. 1787–1828), also
known as Shaka Zulu, a visit to the Shakaland Zulu Cultural
Village at Eshowe, KwaZulu-Natal is a must. Shaka Zulu was
the fierce warrior king who united various groups, clans ans
tribes into the modern Zulu nation. At Shakaland one can see
how he lived, what a royal Zulu kraal looks like, and learn all
about Zulu culture and traditions.
Africa’s only queenship
Not to be forgotten, is Africa’s only real queenship, that of the
Rain Queen Modjadji, the hereditary queen of the Balobedu
of the Limpopo Province of South Africa. The origin, legend
and latter-day existence of the Rain Queen reads like a
Shakespearian drama of intrigue, scandal and family feuds.
Her hereditary title is something of an oddity in Africa where
patriarchal systems dominate. In stark contradiction with all
other African monarchical customs, the Rain Queen is a title
that only a woman can obtain and is passed from mother to
eldest daughter. The Rain Queen is believed to have special
powers, including the ability to control the clouds and rainfall.
Currently, there is no ruling Rain Queen, as the previous Rain
Queen died in 2005 but a new Rain Queen, her daughter,
Masalanabo Modjadji is expected to be crowned when she
turns 18 in 2023. In 2016 then president Zuma gazetted a
proclamation by which the state for the first time ever officially
recognised the queenship of the Rain Queen.
The Rain Queen dynasty’s throne is located in the ancestral
village of Modjadjiskloof in the fertile valley of Molototsi, about
141km from Polokwane. In the past visits to the Rain Queen
could be arranged, but now one would have to be satisfied
with a visit to the royal village or wait until the new queen’s
coronation.
Mapungubwe Kingdom
There’s another old kingdom to be visited in South Africa…the
very ancient Kingdom of Mapungubwe near the confluence
of the Limpopo and Shashe rivers close to the border with
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