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Zulu (1964): South Africa
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Post Anglo-Zulu war, the English stymied with labour shortage imposed additional taxes on natives to force them to enter labor market. This triggered a rebellion of Zulus against the British as a result in 1906 which is ... known as Bambatha Rebellion. Gandhi actively encouraged the British to raise an armed battalion of Indians to aid them against the Zulus. He also continuously stimulated Indians living in South Africa to join the war through his columns in a Gujarati newspaper published in South Africa. [10]. His campaign began in late 1905, when he wrote “An Indian Volunteer Corps” for the Indian Opinion, saying, “If the Government only realized what reserve force is being wasted, they would make use of it and give Indians the opportunity of a thorough training for actual warfare.”[11].
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At the time of Shaka Zulu's release in South Africa in 1987, the series legitimated the apartheid regime's idea that 'tribe' equaled 'nationhood'. This policy had forcibly imposed geographical entities, which after 1948 separated black 'tribes' from 'white' South Africa. These separate 'states' were first called bantustans and later, homelands. The Kwa Zulu 'homeland' or 'self-governing territory', the land of Shaka's original rule, was to become one of these. The series was broadcast in English on the 'white' channel and in Zulu on the two 'black' channels. These channels were aimed at the urban black population living within 'white' South Africa (cf.
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Despite the strength of Britain’s rampant colonialism of the 19th century the Zulu warriors of Africa stood their ground and waged war. Set to take to their land and rights back for themselves they came across a small hospital outpost in the area called Rorke’s drift. Against only 139 Welsh soldiers the Zulu’s could not defeat the brave men. After a full twenty-four hours of brutal fighting the Zulu’s put down their arms. With strength, bravery, and tension at an all time both sides would gain a mutual respect for the courage a person can express. No one would look at imperialism the same way again.
In the imperial age no other African people caught the Western imagination more powerfully than the Zulu. This fascination... was a blend of admiration and repulsion (Kiernan 1995:232). The Shaka Zulu (1985) TV series was rebroadcast on the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) in 2001, 13 years after its first screening in 1984. At that time the series drew the ire of radical white anti-apartheid historians who discredited the series' depictions as historically inaccurate (Hamilton and Maré 1987; Maré and Wright 1986). Inkatha politicians, in contrast, lauded the series as faithful to their hero, King Shaka and saw it as a positive mobilising force for Zulu nationalism. This exclusionary nationalism dovetailed with the Apartheid ideology of racial/ethnic separation and it could be argued that the series served state purposes (It should be noted at the outset, however, that although the mutual belief in ethnic purity, pride and distinction facilitated an alliance between the government and Inkatha, it was not its sole basis).
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Zulu is the amazing true story of British soldiers who fought against 4000 Zulu warriors at Rorke’s Drift in South Africa. That is a true story of only 139 British soldiers resisting a force of Zulu warriors 4000 strong. Not surprising the highest number of Victoria Crosses was awarded to the men after their long victory.
Originally aired as a British mini-series, Shaka Zulu follows the rise of Shaka (Henry Cele) to the king of the Zulus during the early 19th century when the British were beginning to gain control of Africa. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Movie Guide
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