Ritual Bull Killing In The Football Stadium

Do you think the Zulu’s should be allowed to sacrifice a Bull in the football stadium that will be hosting the football events? Bearing in-mind what we on this forum know about the Zulu ways.

If it is a ritual Killing and part of the Zulu customs, then we must do the following When In Zululand, Do As The Zulus Do
:lol!:

By Sipho Khumalo
Political Staff

Attempts to stop Zulus from holding the ukweshwama ceremony, in which a black bull was killed barehanded by a newly anointed Zulu regiment, sought to undermine the Zulu nation and what it stood for.

So said an angry King Goodwill Zwelithini, adding that the move was tantamount to the destruction of the Zulu nation, which was characterised by the burning of Ulundi and the banishing of Zulu kings by colonists after 1879.

Addressing thousands of Zulu warriors at the ceremony in Nongoma at the weekend, and in his first response to a failed bid by animal rights activists to have the bull-killing ritual stopped, the king said no one could dictate to Zulus how they should conduct their customs and culture.

He said that while Zulus lived in a global and multicultural world, they should not abandon what was theirs and that which made them what they were.

"Living in this multicultural society does not mean Zulus should worship other people's customs, live to fulfil other people's wishes, be undermined by other groupings and be dictated to by other groupings on what we should do or not do," said the king, amid cries of "Bayede" (the royal salute) from the warriors.

The king rejected suggestions by the activists that the ukweshwama ceremony had once been abandoned by Zulus, saying attempts by the colonialists to "dismember" the Zulus had forced them to hold it under different conditions in the past.

He said it was difficult for him to resist the temptation to comment on the Pietermaritzburg High Court case, in which "the very essence of Zuluness was questioned by those who undermined it".

He called for good neighbourliness and respect for all South African cultures.

"I wish to strongly appeal to you not to undermine and look down upon other people's culture and customs. A mature nation is a nation that respects the customs and practices of other groupings, even if they do not agree with them," he said.

The king called for unity among Zulus, hitting out at "izimpimpi" (traitors), saying they were responsible for photographing ukweshwama rituals and handing them over to "enemies".

"I know that some of you have been planted here by enemies to take pictures in exchange for cash. Those who do this will be cursed by our ancestors," he said.

He spoke out against pictures of the ceremony circulated prior to the weekend's events, saying they were all "doctored" to present the Zulus in a bad light.

The king also announced that he was reviving the custom of circumcision, which had been abandoned by King Shaka, the founder of the Zulu nation. He said Shaka had lived under different circumstances, before the scourge of HIV/ Aids.

Research had shown that circumcised men had a smaller chance of contracting HIV. However, the king said the circumcisions would be carried out under the watchful eyes of doctors.

How is the Bull actually killed. Is it with the assagai. In one of the films Zulu-Zulu Dawn can’t remember which, I believe they broke the Bulls neck by twisting the horns.

John that is correct. But before the neck is broken (Came across this) Not sure this happen back in 1879.

Horrific descriptions of how the bull is tortured to death with its eyes gouged, mud stuffed down it’s throat, its genitals stomped on, its legs broken.

Then they break the neck.

Interesting topic, but not lets wander off into animal rights territory. Dave can you name the source of your last post.

Apologies.. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Dave.

From link posted by Dave.

Quote :

We are told that this “tradition” was RE-introduced by King Goodwill in 1992, after having died out for 130 years.

She needs to read the History Books (It appears she knows nothing about the Zulu Culture) She should keep her opinions to herself, if she can't be bother to find out facts first.

Quote :

Horrific descriptions

(No foundation)

This is what they do. Its not for enjoyment.

To put the uKweshwama ceremony into context. It is without doubt not for the squeamish and i dont for a second either agree or condone it, it is however seen as an important part of Zulu culture. It wont be stopped by politicians or by animal rights organisations because to do so will invoke the race card so often employed in this country of mine. The object of the ceremony is not to kill or cause pain, thats a byproduct. The intention is to make the bull scream/bellow loud enough to wake the ancestors so they can listen and partake in the balance of theceremony.

There’s no proof the Ritual Bull Killing took place. It what they would like to do that hit the headlines, as it their custom.

In 1936, Monica Hunter described in graphic detail the process of slaughter:

"When speaking to the ancestors was finished Sipopone[one of the Hunter's informants] took the sacrificial spear of the umzi [homestead], passed it between the forelegs of the animal, and between it's back legs, which was tied, then stabbed it in the stomach over the aorta muscle. The beast bellowed horribly, and lay in agony for about five minutes before it died."

The bellowing is part of the ritual, representing communication with the ancestors. In Mr Yengeni's case, he is said to have prodded the bull with a spear to make it burp or make some sort of sound, signifying that the ancestors accepted the ritual.

Each year, approximately 10,000 bulls die in bullfights, an inaccurate term for events in which there is very little competition between a nimble, sword-wielding matador (Spanish for “killer”) and a confused, maimed, psychologically tormented, and physically debilitated animal

Ritualistic Slaughter:
"In a typical event, the bull enters the arena and is approached by picadores, men on blindfolded horses. The picadores drive lances into the bull’s back and neck muscles, impairing the bull’s ability to lift his head. They twist and gouge the lances to ensure a significant amount of blood loss. Then come the banderilleros on foot, who proceed to distract and dart around the bull while plunging banderillas—“brightly colored sticks with harpoon points” into his back. When the bull has weakened from blood loss, these banderilleros run the bull in more circles until he is dizzy and stops chasing. Finally, the matador appears and, after provoking a few exhausted charges from the dying animal, tries to kill the bull with his sword. If he misses, succeeding only in further mutilation, an executioner is called in to stab the exhausted animal to death."

“I can see how people see this as a barbaric thing,” said one French celebrity matador, Chamaco, whose antics were described by one spectator as follows: “He yells at the animal, gesturing wildly and triumphantly, teasing it, taunting it, begging it to dance with him.”(9)
If the crowd is happy with the matador, the bull’s ears and tail are cut off and presented as a gift. A few minutes later, another bull enters the arena and the sadistic cycle starts again.


Maybe the Zulu way is better after all.

By the way the Bull doesn't always lose.

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Now i know why they call it Ball fighting. :lol!:

hi all.
Is that Spanish Circumcision :lol!: Couldnt resist
cheers 90th.

Is that a smile i see on the Bull's face.

sas1

hi sas1.
:lol!: :lol!: :lol!: . What can I say.
cheers 90th.

A ceremony which has been called the Feast of First Fruits appears to have been common to all the tribes in their original state. The primitive institution was an act of thanks giving for the fruits of the earth but Shaka added to it certain military rites and gave it much more the aspect of a war-feast. The following- are the principal circumstances which occur in its celebration at the Zulu court.


About the end of December the people assemble at the Great Place, where a black bull having" been brought from the herd, the young men twist the animal’s neck, and thrown it on the ground. The doctor then makes an incision in the side of the groaning beast and, having taken out the gall bladder, squeezes part of its contents into a vessel containing medicine previously boiled. The king dips his fingers into the decoction, and applies them to his mouth. Whether he swallows any of the mixture is not known, but a portion at least he squirts over his person. Other medicine is prepared, into which bruised corn and various productions of the garden are put. This is taken by the king in the same manner as before. Powders of various colours having been rubbed on his breast and face, he takes some of the first mentioned mixture into his mouth, and squirts it on an assegai, points the weapon towards the sun. The doctor now kills the bull by striking it on the head with an axe. It is then skinned and the flesh thrown on a large fire.

Towards evening boys assemble to eat the beef a privilege considerably impaired by the fact that they may not drink till morning. It is believed that if this rule were violated, the king would suffer defeat in war or be visited by some personal misfortune the doctor and others therefore keep a strict watch over the thirsty soldiers, and with their sticks beat back however may attempt to leave the fire.

Next day another bull, of a different colour, is slaughtered with an assegai in the usual way. Some of the gall is put into a decoction of medicine, which the men take with their fingers. They then go to the stream and wash. Having returned they assemble round the doctor and provided with pieces of the bulls flesh previously cooked and rolled in pounded medicine. Taking one of these in his hand he throws It into the air, when it is caught by the nearest person, who applies it to his mouth, and throws it up again for another to catch. In this way it goes round the circle, unless it fall to the ground, in which case the doctor throws up another piece in its stead.

Next day the king comes into the fold arrayed in grass, when a dance called umhosi takes place. This being ended, he retires to resume his proper dress. When he returns, some further ceremony takes place the chief feature of which consists in his dashing a calabash to the ground. The people go and wash, while the doctor and the king's chief officers pick up the fragments of the calabash. These, together with the grass in which the chief had been clothed, are burned where the black bull had been roasted. The ashes are then scattered about, and cattle afterwards introduced to tread them into the ground. At the conclusion of the ceremony the king addresses the people, speaks of their various duties, and gives them permission to reap their harvest.

As the general rule no crop can be gathered previously to the celebration of this feast.

E.H