ETV, Nov 13, 2017
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Publication History
Received 14th November, 2022
Accepted 23rd January, 2023
Published online 17th March, 2023
Yende S.J. and Ngema V. / E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and
Social Sciences Vol.4 No.3 (2023) pp. 300-311
ABSTRACT
Even though Indlamu dance has been a central feature of the Zulu nation, few historical studies address the social status of Indlamu.
Indlamu has been largely overlooked as an image of Zulu upper-class people, even though the majority of people had ample access to Indlamu. Also, Indlamu is most often associated with Zulu culture untouched by Western influence, probably because it is regarded as a touchstone of Zulu identity. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate that Indlamu has never been about war dance only for the peasants and migrants’ workers (ordinary people), but rather ‘an image of the Zulu upper-class culture of the past’. The demonstration is done by analysing Indlamu's history, structural form, performance, and appreciation throughout the decades. This paper employs a textual analysis approach and direct interviews with selected participants who possess extensive knowledge of Indlamu. This article argues that Indlamu is used as a tool to present a Zulu warrior/combatant as an ordered, disciplined, submissive,and obedient member of society. The findings demonstrate that according to the perceived Zulu nationalism and modern capitalism, an ideal Zulu warrior is submissive and obedient to their authorities. This is ascribed to Indlamu performance's requirements for complete regimental clothing, exact time, and unwavering posture. This article concludes by affirming that similar to ballet and how King Louis XIV would symbolise things like war or Apollo, implying authority and empire, Indlamu performers would likewise symbolise power and battle. This article is intended to bring an understanding of the role of Indlamu in the Zulu nation.
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Before continuing further with this analytical thread, it is essential to state briefly that in the early nineteenth century, travellers came to Zululand and learned about the uniqueness of Indlamu.
Unsurprisingly, nineteenth-century visitors to the Zulu Kingdom were in awe of the elaborate, flawlessly performed dances they saw. Most traveller stories attest that large-scale, incredibly wellorganised dance performances were often performed with very particular purposes. They might last for hours or even days and involve thousands of individuals simultaneously. European observers and their African translators usually said that the dances were evidence of the Zulu king's dominance.
[...]In understanding Indlamu as part of the Zulu nation, it is important to view Indlamu as a dance that started before colonisation. The history of Indlamu has been largely overlooked, and the definition of Indlamu is ambiguous. The ambiguity arises from Indlamu being associated with rural peasants and migrant workers of the 1930s.
However, Indlamu was commonly performed by upper-class people in the Zulu nation, such as kings. The growth of Indlamu among the migrants and farm workers evolved from the profound and rich transformation of traditional Zulu culture.4 An early account by Firenzi reveals “a wellpractised dance performed before a king of any stature that would require careful dedication and a strong sense of purpose from the dancers” ”. 5
It is also important to highlight that over the years that, Indlamu has continued to influence and find its way to theatre stages at home and abroad. 6
Writing on Indlamu, Krige refers to Natal, and the researchers assume this is the territory south of the Thukela River and North of Mzimvubu known as the Republic of Natalia around 1838 under the Boers, but later annexed by the British from the Boers in 1844 and later in 1856 was officially declared a separate colony of the British Crown.7
It is important to state that after the defeat of the Zulu armies at Isandlwana, the whole province became a Natal colony under the British administration and as one of the British colonies in Southern Africa.8 Therefore, it becomes unclear which part and time of Natal history Krige is referring to. 9
Around the time of Krige’s writing, Indlamu had been vaguely described as a war dance due to its movements and attire, which in part resemble those of the regiments of ancient times. It is performed with drums and full traditional attire and is derived from the war dances of the warriors. 10
Indlamu is a Zulu dance in the traditional idiom with leg movement likened to the sputtering of boiling water. The definition by Coplan has its roots in a definition given by Larlham, which states that the “Indlamu is a lively kind of dance, introduced from Natal, indulged in by the young, almost imitative of the spluttering of boiling water. Indlamu is one of the most original traditional dances performed by both boys and girls. There is no musical accompaniment during this dance.” 11
Although the definitions of Indlamu presented above do give answers to the questions of the structure and the origins of Indlamu, they still fall short in providing solutions to broader questions of the exact place and time of the origins, as well as the significance attached to Indlamu by those who invented and have continued to preserve it for future generations.12 [...]
p. 304
Indlamu dance
Indlamu is often loosely referred to as a traditional dance associated with Zulu culture. It is performed with drums and full traditional attire. It is perceived as derived from the war dances of the amabutho (regiments). It is danced by men of any age wearing amabheshu (loin-skins), imiqhele (head rings)
p. 305
imitsha (ceremonial belts), amafohlwane (ankle rattles), amahawu (shields), and weapons amawisa (knobkerries), and imikhonto (spears).23
While Indlamu uses similar steps as girls do for ingoma, it has a much more calculated, less frantic feel, showing off muscular strength and control of the weapons with mock stabs at imaginary enemies. Dancers are more likely to make eye contact with the audience.
Various drums and whistles accompany the dance.
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According to Manyeneng and Owen, Zulu rites of passage and traditional cultural occasions are all celebrated through Indlamu dance.25 The Zulu originally danced Indlamu as a military exercise to establish discipline among the nation's male members.
Additionally, the dance served to get armed battalions ready for battle. Manyeneng further claims that Indlamu comes from the front lines of Zulu combat. Later, it became a dance performed to commemorate occasions like winning a war and crowning a king. Shaka the Great had a significant influence on this traditional dance. 26 The warrior dance of the Zulus, in particular, served as a sign of supremacy and self-control. 27 As a result, Indlamu emerged from the war dances of Zulu warriors. Whereas scholars agree on the association of Indlamu with war and regiments, one of the earliest descriptions of Indlamu by Zulu elder E.B Madondo associates Indlamu with weddings and courtship ceremonies.
He describes Indlamu as follows, and his description is followed by an English translation:
p. 306
'Indlamu lena ishaywa izinsizwa esencane, uma kukhona
umdlalo othile njengokuqonywa
kwensizwa uma kushaywa isigubhu nendlamu bayishaye. Uma
intombi igcagca izinsizwa
zincintisana ngayo, kuthi loyo odlule abanye abanjwe
yilaba ababukayo bamphakamisele
phezulu, bekhombisa ukuthi umncintiswano lowo ngowakhe'.28
'Indlamu is performed by young men when there is a ceremony, like the engagement of a young man, and is accompanied by a drum. It is also performed when a young girl is getting married to her young sweetheart and young men compete against one another. The winner is lifted by the onlookers to show that he is the winner.'
If one were to focus on the association of Indlamu with war and amabutho (regiments), a reference would have to be made to the claims by Krige cited earlier about King Dingane’s fondness for arranging new dances for his court.29
What Krige is saying is that the dances were a result of King Dingane’s love of display. Hence, innovations in dress for men and women were introduced. Krige relied on early recordings by writers, such as Adulphe Delegorgue, who claimed to have witnessed dance displays by regiments of dances, such as the umgubho, and annual dances at the royal courts of both King Dingane and King Mpande after the first fruit ceremonies.30
According to Delegorgue, the object of the umgubho song and dance event was to create enthusiasm before embarking on inqina (great hunt), like co mpetitive boasting between regiments before setting out on a campaign. The umgubho warmed the regiments up and made them keen.
The umgubho was characterised by movements such as the imaginary stabbing of a buck and ukugiya (solo dance) display.31
The most spectacular and imposing of all Zulu dancing, according to Delegorgue, however,was that of the regiments in full regimental dress, as well as the annual dances at the royal court just after the umkhosi wokweshwama (Feast of the First Fruits), which presented the most brilliant and colourful sight. 32 In this grand military review, the king himself took part after a review of his army seated in his chair of state.33 Delegorgue describes the scenes at King Mpande’s royal court as follows:
‘The young warrior regiments arrived in six large masses of roughly 1000 each, charged quickly, then reorganised themselves and started dancing a war chant, creating a type of serpent-like shape from the three rings. Each regiment had a unique dance and song that they performed for hours on end. But when the king took part in the dancing, the women of the isigodlo (harem) usually joined in too. Below is one of the earliest illustrations of the Zulu king reviewing his troops after the feast of the first fruits.’ 34
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p. 308
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The Dancers
Turner goes on to say that young men and women who have not yet married dance apart during these ceremonies.39 Married men and women would occasionally join in. The men clap, the girls dance, and the married women ululate....
The Zulu dancing that is mentioned by Krige is ijadu (love dance). It was an inter-clan occasion of young men and maidens with the objective of getting them becoming acquainted.41 According to Bryant, usually, the males compete alone on one day and females on another. They were prizes to be won by those who succeeded in putting into their performance the greatest verve by captivating the public eye. Generally, the prize for males was an insimba skin, while for females was beads and other such-like ornaments. 42
Purpose of Indlamu
Scholars have agreed that Indlamu has been an essential cultural practice for the Zulu nation to celebrate various events such as royal inaugurations, weddings, and military conquests.43 Indlamu continues as a celebration of Zulu identity, a traditional cultural event, and a rite of passage.44 This was echoed by Meintjes, who affirmed that traditional isiZulu dancing is an important part of the isiZulu culture.45 Dancing is usually performed during a traditional isiZulu ceremony and is accompanied by vibrant singing and sometimes the beating of drums. IsiZulu dancing is spectacular, especially when the men and women are fully dressed in their traditional attire.
It appears from the above study by Mtshali 46 that historically, Indlamu has been part of the Zulu nation and has been a significant feature of recreation and ‘heritainment’. The term ‘heritainment’ refers to traditional performances that show ostensibly authentic cultural forms while providing entertaining and imparting easily recognisable images and narratives.47
Mobilisation of Indlamu for Modern Purposes
Indlamu was mobilised for modern purposes in New South Africa post-1994. Cultural productions from the Zulu nation in South Africa have achieved worldwide critical acclaim and established their artistic provenance through such shows as Umoja and Ipi Ntombi, among several others. These shows have toured the world and mesmerised world audiences with their colourful, exquisite, and elaborate traditional Zulu costumes while performing Indlamu. These shows have played a significant part in helping Indlamu to find its way to theatre stages at home and abroad. 48
In recent years, Indlamu has become a dance spectacle at home and abroad....
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