King Shaka

        King Shaka was arguably the most dominant ruler in Zululand in the 19th century. Under his command, the lowly Zulu chiefdom grew into one of the most expansive kingdoms South Africa had ever seen. He instilled loyalty and fear into his people as he conquered a vast region of South Africa. His rise to power was documented by two individuals amongst others: Henry Francis Fynn and Baleka. While Fynn recorded his experiences and observations firsthand in a diary, Baleka narrated stories that had been passed down through her family to James Stuart, who transcribed and published the tales. These primary sources provide valuable information about Shaka, his kingdom, and his reign. However, Baleka inaccurately portrays Shaka as a ruthless murderer, ignoring his role as an effective diplomat and tenacious leader.

        Baleka was a member of the Qwabe tribe in Zululand. The paternal side of her family was the royal family Shaka was born into. Her father and grandmother had told her many stories about Shaka’s life. These stories mainly revolved around his violent actions and vicious exploits. Baleka’s account contains many tales about heinous murders, warfare among chiefdoms, insane aggression, and generally destructive tendencies on Shaka’s part.

        The Zulu king was ferocious and fearless. Chiefdoms who opposed him were annihilated and individuals who challenged him were slaughtered. He killed to defend and expand his kingdom and sometimes even killed out of curiosity. He killed a pregnant woman simply because he “wished to see how a child lay in the womb.” (Webb and Wright 1969, 10) This story depicts just how ferocious and brutal Shaka was as a person.

        However, these tales only show a single aspect of Shaka’s temperament- savagery. Baleka casts an overwhelmingly negative light on Shaka’s character. Although he was an incredibly malicious individual, his contribution to society and history should have been mentioned in Baleka’s account. Her stories are death-centric, focused on the negative aspects of Shaka’s rule. His efficacy as a leader and statesman are important, positive qualities he possessed, neither of which is mentioned in even a single one of Baleka’s stories. Although her narration is likely accurate and legitimate, it would be unjust to make conclusions about an individual solely on information that represents one element of their reputation.

        While Baleka’s report is rather narrow, Henry Francis Fynn’s provides a more comprehensive into Shaka’s world. Fynn was a British explorer who had heard of Shaka’s exploits and subsequently sought to meet him. He traveled to Port Natal with F.G. Farewell and James Saunders King, two individuals who wanted to establish trade with the Zulus.

        Upon arrival in South Africa, Fynn set up camp in what is now Khangela. He quickly encountered the Zulu massive army. Fynn “at once became convinced Shaka’s nation was a powerful one.” (Malcolm and Stuart 1969, 62) The two parties developed relations and eventually another group of Zulus arrived to convey Shaka’s acknowledgment. Upon meeting each other, the two quickly formed strong rapport and an unexpected friendship blossomed.