The Image of King Dingane and Zulu Nationalist Politics

Abstract

Chapter 4 elaborates the point that by the 1920s and 1930s the archive on King Dingane was firmly established and consisted of documentary sources and archival material written by both Europeans and Africans. The established archive was reflected in isiZulu texts written by missionary educated Magema Fuze, John Dube and Rolfes Dhlomo. They were fiercely opposed to King Dingane. This archive also reflects how their negative perspectives were influenced by historical sources reflecting the ‘pre-contact’ or the pre-colonial history of southern Africa written by Europeans, which immortalised the pro-conquest prophecy attributed to the dying King Shaka. The chapter also highlights the fact that the anti-King Dingane images were ably challenged by Petros Lamula and Isaiah Shembe, whose perspectives adopted a nuanced, empowering image of King Dingane.