Umkhosi Wokweshwama

Umkhosi Wokweshwama [um̩kʰoːsi woɠʷeʃʷaːma] ("first fruits festival"), recently also known as Umkhosi Woselwa [um̩kʰoːsi woseːlʷa] ("calabash festival"), is the annual harvest festival of the Zulu people, observed around the December solstice. It takes place at the Enyokeni Royal Palace in Nongoma, KwaZulu-Natal, and is presided over by the Zulu King, who conducts a tasting ceremony as sacred king, closed by the dashing of a calabash to signify that the people may now enjoy the fruits of the harvest; this role was historically expanded by Shaka to have more military significance with a muster and parade.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5] It was revived by the current king's father, the late King Goodwill Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu in 1990, after a ban by British colonial authorities following the 1879 Battle of Isandlwana and Zulu defeat in the Anglo-Zulu War (the last was held in winter 1877–78, though some claim continuity as a less elaborate event).^[3]^[4]^[5]^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]

The festival has mass participation by young men, as Umkhosi woMhlanga has by young women. There is a black bull sacrifice in the king's kraal as the young men work together to kill the animal without weapons, which was the subject of a failed lawsuit by South African animal rights activists in 2009.^[11]^[12]^[5] The sacrifice of the bull is seen as transferring the bull's power to the king.^[11] The iNkatha was also renewed.^[4] The Scottish mythographer James George Frazer speculated that this reflected an ancient practice of sacrificing the king himself.^[13]

The Kingdom of Swaziland's counterpart event is Incwala, part of a larger family of Nguni First Fruit traditions.^[2] Aspects of the festival have been adapted by the Zulu-initiated Nazareth Baptist Church in its celebration of Christmas.^[14] The Zulu festival was a partial inspiration for the modern African-American holiday of Kwanzaa.^[15]

References

^ Flint, Karen Elizabeth (2008). Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820–1948. Ohio University Press. p. 76. ISBN 9780821418499. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09.
^ ^a ^b Snedegar, Keith (1998). "First Fruits Celebrations among the Nguni Peoples of Southern Africa: An Ethnoastronomical Interpretation". Journal for the History of Astronomy, Archaeoastronomy Supplement. 29: 31–38. Bibcode:1998JHAS...29...31S.
^ ^a ^b Chidester, David (2014-06-27). Religions of South Africa (Routledge Revivals). Routledge. pp. 25–27. ISBN 9781317649878. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09.
^ ^a ^b ^c Canwell, Diane (2004-09-30). Zulu Kings and their Armies. Pen and Sword. pp. 33–36. ISBN 9781844150601. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09.
^ ^a ^b ^c "In the High Court Of South Africa KwaZulu-Natal-Natal, Pietermaritzburg – Case No: 10237/2009" (PDF). Southern African Legal Information Institute. 2009-01-04. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-01-03.
^ Dubin, Steven C. (2012). Spearheading Debate: Culture Wars & Uneasy Truces. Jacana Media. p. 59. ISBN 9781431407378. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09.
^ Bevan, Stephen (2007). "Bulls' killing in Zulu rite condemned as barbaric". Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 2018-01-02. Retrieved 2018-01-01.
^ Rautenbach, Christa (2011-12-19). "Umkhosi Ukweshwama: Revival of a Zulu Festival in Celebration of the Universe's Rites of Passage". Rochester, NY. SSRN 1974444. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)
^ Johannesburg, Christopher S. Wren; Christopher S. Wren is The Times's bureau chief in (1991-02-17). "The Chief Steps Forward". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2018-01-02. Retrieved 2018-01-01.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ Johannesburg, Christopher S. Wren; Christopher S. Wren is The Times's bureau chief in (1991-02-17). "The Chief Steps Forward". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2018-01-02. Retrieved 2018-01-15.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
^ ^a ^b Bearak, Barry (2009-12-08). "Spilling the Blood of Bulls to Preserve Zulu Tradition". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2018-01-01. Retrieved 2017-12-31.
^ "Bull-killing can go ahead, says court". Mail & Guardian. 2009-04-12. Archived from the original on 2015-05-16. Retrieved 2018-01-01.
^ Frazer, James George (2012-04-26). The Golden Bough. Cambridge University Press. pp. 67–68. ISBN 9781108047371. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09.
^ Oosthuizen, Gerhardus Cornelis (1967). The Theology of a South African Messiah: An Analysis of the Hymnal of The Church of the Nazarites. Brill Archive. p. 112. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09.
^ Mayes, Keith A. (2009-09-10). Kwanzaa: Black Power and the Making of the African-American Holiday Tradition. Routledge. p. 84. ISBN 9781135284008. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09.

External links

Cultural Development (Festivals) on KwaZulu Natal Department of Arts & Culture
1995 Associated Press video on YouTube

[1] Flint, Karen Elizabeth (2008). Healing Traditions: African Medicine, Cultural Exchange, and Competition in South Africa, 1820–1948. Ohio University Press. p. 76. ISBN 9780821418499. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09.

[:1-2] Snedegar, Keith (1998). "First Fruits Celebrations among the Nguni Peoples of Southern Africa: An Ethnoastronomical Interpretation". Journal for the History of Astronomy, Archaeoastronomy Supplement. 29: 31–38. Bibcode:1998JHAS...29...31S.

[:0-3] Chidester, David (2014-06-27). Religions of South Africa (Routledge Revivals). Routledge. pp. 25–27. ISBN 9781317649878. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09.

[:3-4] Canwell, Diane (2004-09-30). Zulu Kings and their Armies. Pen and Sword. pp. 33–36. ISBN 9781844150601. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09.

[:4-5] "In the High Court Of South Africa KwaZulu-Natal-Natal, Pietermaritzburg – Case No: 10237/2009" (PDF). Southern African Legal Information Institute. 2009-01-04. Archived (PDF) from the original on 2018-01-03.

[6] Dubin, Steven C. (2012). Spearheading Debate: Culture Wars & Uneasy Truces. Jacana Media. p. 59. ISBN 9781431407378. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09.

[7] Bevan, Stephen (2007). "Bulls' killing in Zulu rite condemned as barbaric". Daily Telegraph. ISSN 0307-1235. Archived from the original on 2018-01-02. Retrieved 2018-01-01.

[8] Rautenbach, Christa (2011-12-19). "Umkhosi Ukweshwama: Revival of a Zulu Festival in Celebration of the Universe's Rites of Passage". Rochester, NY. SSRN 1974444. {{cite journal}}: Cite journal requires |journal= (help)

[9] Johannesburg, Christopher S. Wren; Christopher S. Wren is The Times's bureau chief in (1991-02-17). "The Chief Steps Forward". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2018-01-02. Retrieved 2018-01-01.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[10] Johannesburg, Christopher S. Wren; Christopher S. Wren is The Times's bureau chief in (1991-02-17). "The Chief Steps Forward". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2018-01-02. Retrieved 2018-01-15.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)

[:2-11] Bearak, Barry (2009-12-08). "Spilling the Blood of Bulls to Preserve Zulu Tradition". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on 2018-01-01. Retrieved 2017-12-31.

[12] "Bull-killing can go ahead, says court". Mail & Guardian. 2009-04-12. Archived from the original on 2015-05-16. Retrieved 2018-01-01.

[13] Frazer, James George (2012-04-26). The Golden Bough. Cambridge University Press. pp. 67–68. ISBN 9781108047371. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09.

[14] Oosthuizen, Gerhardus Cornelis (1967). The Theology of a South African Messiah: An Analysis of the Hymnal of The Church of the Nazarites. Brill Archive. p. 112. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09.

[15] Mayes, Keith A. (2009-09-10). Kwanzaa: Black Power and the Making of the African-American Holiday Tradition. Routledge. p. 84. ISBN 9781135284008. Archived from the original on 2018-02-09.

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