The
small village of Gingindlovu owes its origins to the military
headquarters established in the mid-1800's by the future Zulu
king, Cetshwayo,
following his bloody triumph against his brothers in a battle
for succession to the throne. Cetshwayo named his headquarters
Gingindlovu, or Swallower of the Elephant, for it was said
that by defeating his brothers - Prince Mbulazi in particular
- he had eaten up the greatest opponent to his ambitions.
To the British soldiers who fought two major battles against
King Cetshwayo's army here 20 years later during the Anglo-Zulu
War, the village was known fondly as "Gin, Gin, I
love you".
The
sites of the battles
of Nyezane and Gingindlovu are just outside Gingindlovu
on the R66 to Eshowe.
Both
sites are close to the road and are marked by granite memorials.
 Some
of the British soldiers killed at the Battle of Gingindlovu
are buried in a small cemetery on the farm 300m from the memorial.
About 8kms north on
the R102 towards Mtunzini,
there is a memorial to the 71 British soldiers who died -
not in battle but of dysentery and malaria - while based at
Fort Chelmsford
during the war.
Today Gingindlovu serves as a busy shopping centre for the
sugarcane farming community and bears little semblance of
its former glory.
However, it is close to the beautiful Amatikulu
river mouth which offers visitors two worthwhile attractions.
On the north bank is one of Zululand's most enchanting restaurants
- The Prawn Shack
- and on the south side is the Amatikulu
Nature Reserve where visitors will be surprised to find
large wild animals grazing on hills overlooking the Indian
Ocean.
Over weekends visitors can spend a leisurely afternoon on
a timber sundeck overlooking the Amatikulu estuary and enjoy
a seven-course seafood meal with fresh prawns harvested from
a nearby prawn farm and grilled on an open fire. Besides prawns,
the menu includes fresh linefish, Zulu sushi and a local favourite
known as a Prawn Bunnie Chow. Diners are encouraged to take
a stroll on the beach halfway through this marathon culinary
session.
• There is a good selection of accommodation
in and around Gingindlovu - ranging from luxury accommodation
in the mansions of Sugar Barons to cottages as close to the
water's edge as you will find in the whole of Zululand. |
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The
dancing is colourful and trance-like. |
The
most colourful celebration in Zululand
One of the most colourful events on the Zululand calendar
is seldom witnessed by visitors but is highly recommended
for its ritual, tradition and uniqueness. Once a year
in October, a large village springs up overnight on
a hill known as Judea outside Gingindlovu when thousands
of pilgrims of the Nazareth Baptist Church gather for
a month of prayer and celebration. The church, popularly
known as the Shembe church, is the largest of the independent
churches of South Africa and is a fascinating combination
of Old Testament dogma, Christian and colonial symbolism
and traditional Zulu Culture. The gathering marks a
month of prayer, healing and worship during which the
pilgrims are dressed in flowing white robes but it also
includes several days of colourful celebration during
which the pilgrims perform hypnotic trance-like dances.
These days of celebration are some of the most colourful
spectacles in Zululand with the married women dancing
with furled umbrellas and tiny ceremonial shields, the
maidens in their beadwork, the men in their animal skins
and feather headdresses and the younger men in pith
helmets and gingham kilts.
• Visitors need to adhere to some religious
protocol - shoes and hats are not allowed - and they
are advised to join one of the tours organised by Zululand
Eco-Adventures based in Eshowe. Tel : 035 474 4919. |
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The
young men dance in pith helmets and gingham kilts.
|
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