Zulu Terror: The Mfecane Holocaust, 1815–1840

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Between 1800 and 1815, south-eastern Africa witnessed something akin to a genocide that killed approximately 2 million Africans. The episode - known as the Mfecane - is unknown in contemporary America. It certainly runs against the post-modern narrative which puts the blame for everything bad that has happened in the world on the shoulders of Western culture.

However, the Mfecane was purely an African phenomenon. In this book, the beginnings of the Mfecane predate Shaka Zulu with King Dingiswayo who set up the system of regiments (Impis) and introduced the short spear (assegai). Dingiswayo's conquests of neighbors started the process of out-migration that created a domino effect as one tribe wold displace another. What's interesting is how easy it seems for tribes to pick up and move 50 miles. Their wealth was largely movable - cattle - and their farms seem to have existed on a low level of development.

After Dingiswayo, Shaka took over. Author Robert Binckes places responsibility for Dingiswayo's death on a betrayal by Shaka. These kinds of betrayals were common in European feudalism, but this book demonstrates that the Zulus were no better and might have been worse in their cruelty and betrayals. Here is Bincke's description of the betrayal of Dingiswayo:

//Knowing Dingiswayo's habits, Shaka knew that he would run ahead of his warriors and thus unprotected would make himself vulnerable to an attack on his person. After the unsuspecting Dingiswayo had run ahead of his regiments, Shaka secretly sent a message to the enemy informing them of Dingiswayo's position. During the battle, the Mtetwa, being far too weak in numbers were surrounded by Zwide's army and took Dingiswayo prisoner. Initially Zwide was content to let Dingiswayo live but was persuaded by his mother to execute Dingiswayo: “If you don't kill him, he will kill you.” Dingiswayo was kept alive for three days before being spreadeagled face upward on the ground with stakes driven through his hands and feet, and killed by the trampling of cattle over him. Leaderless the Mtetwa were crushed by the Ndwandwe.//

Yikes.

The book makes for an interesting read. African history is not an area I know and I suspect most don't know African history. It is often difficult to follow the narrative because of the African language's consonant clusters and the foreign African tribal and personal names. But sled through that as best you can and learn something about a different part of the world.