Zulu
The Zulu are an African ethnic group of about 5 million people who live mainly in Kwazulu-Natal Province, South Africa. They moved into South Africa in the 1500s from the Congo region, and are a Bantu-derived people. Under their king, Shaka they expanded their kingdom in the early 1800s, from 100 square miles to 11,000. Famous for their conflicts with Boer settlers and the British army in the 1800s (eg. the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879 where Zulus defeated British troops at Isandhlwana on January 22.) Today they are known for their basketry and beadwork and as subsistence farmers. Their language is isiZulu.
''Zulu Warriors, late 19th century
(with some Europeans in the background)''
Larger image
Related tribes: Swazi, Xhosa, Matabele
See also: Inkatha Freedom Party, Zulu stick fighting, Shaka Zulu.
Zulu is also the letter Z in the NATO phonetic alphabet. Zulu is also another name for Coordinated Universal Time.
