assegai, mask and shield for comment

Ron Anderson · 2nd October 2010, 12:31 PM

In Zulu society, even today, wealth and power is measured and determined by how many cattle you have.

Marriage is determined by a cattle dowry (it's called lebola).

So cattle are the cornerstone of Zulu life.

Certainly, there are other hides - from hippo to crocodile, the list is endless.So you're right - there are plenty of logical alternatives.

I'm not entirely sure what a cowhide shield signifies but it would make sense if it conveyed wealth or status of some kind. I believe, like everything else in Zulu tradition, that it stems back to Shaka. My feeling is it might have had something to do with the fact that cowhide shields conveyed the wealth and power of the Chieftan controlling those troops, rather than the actual bearers of the shields. After all, those would have been provided by the king or chief. So they would show that he had wealth at his disposal. It's a kind of conspicuous consumption, if you like.

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2nd October 2010, 12:31 PM	#6
Ron Anderson Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 228	In Zulu society, even today, wealth and power is measured and determined by how many cattle you have. Marriage is determined by a cattle dowry (it's called lebola). So cattle are the cornerstone of Zulu life. Certainly, there are other hides - from hippo to crocodile, the list is endless.So you're right - there are plenty of logical alternatives. I'm not entirely sure what a cowhide shield signifies but it would make sense if it conveyed wealth or status of some kind. I believe, like everything else in Zulu tradition, that it stems back to Shaka. My feeling is it might have had something to do with the fact that cowhide shields conveyed the wealth and power of the Chieftan controlling those troops, rather than the actual bearers of the shields. After all, those would have been provided by the king or chief. So they would show that he had wealth at his disposal. It's a kind of conspicuous consumption, if you like.