GGZ-04N
John Jenkins Designs
Not yet released - expected in mid-August.
Zulu regiments were known as “amabutho”, and the uThulwana regiment was formed in 1854, and was named after a Basuto chief. It was also known as ”Dust Raisers” or “Cover with Dust”
Formed around the 18th Century AD (as one of King Shaka's ''original Lions''), they occupied the all-important position of ''Chest'' in The Zulu Attack Formation called ''The Beasts Horns''. The Regiment was one of the largest – numbering around 3,000.
The uThulwana Regiment was a ''Front Line'' Zulu Military Formation of The Zulu Empire. The basic Zulu military formation, made up of several “amabutho” was known as an “Impi”
It was a white shield regiment in which Cetshwayo once served.
The regiment had a stormy and divided history. It had been involved with a feud against the inGobamakhosi regiement over women.
In 1878 Cetshwayo gave the uThulwana permission to marry the female intanga that had been assigned to them, the inGcugce. The uThulwana had been kept waiting for a long time for permission to marry, and men were now in their forties, but the girls of the inGcugce had been enrolled at about the same time as the inGobamakhosi, and most of them in their late teens had already formed pre marriage partnerships with the men of the younger regiment.
When the uThulwana adorned with new headrings appeared to claim their brides, most of the girls had run off into the bush and could not be found. There was a fight in which the uThulwana set about every man not wearing a headring, and the inGobamakhosi attacked every man with one. The conflict was never resolved and whenever the two regiments came into contact the quarrel would flare up again.
At Isandlwana both regiments were drawn up well apart from one another.
Part of the regiment rebelled and joined Cetshwayo’s half brother, and some actually joined the NNC in an early action against one of the indunas of the inGobamakhosi.
Most of the regiment was to serve the king loyally, and fought bravely at Isandlwana, and at the attack on Rorke’s Drift. As well as at Gingindhlovu and finally at Ulundi under Dabulamanzi.
The regiment wore a headdress which included a brown crane feather, otter skin head band, monkey skin amabheqe, sakabula feathers and white ostrich feathers. This ceremonial dress was apparently worn into battle.