Human or animal Blood

Posts : 1095 Join date : 2009-01-14 Location : East London

Just a thought ?

If a Zulu killed a animal in the mist of battle (Isandlwana) would this have been seen as washing his spear. Or did the Zulu tradition dictate that it had to be human blood. scratch

Posts : 629 Join date : 2009-01-20 Age : 43

Old Historian.

The act of hlomula goes back to the time of, Shaka who did not allowed any man to marry until he had washed his spear in the blood of his enemies

In the mist of battle, it was tradition for a warrior to continue stabbing his enemy as long as he stayed up. Other warriors also jabbed their spears into the bodies fallen, whether alive or dead. This was the act of hlomula, a custom derived from the hunting of dangerous game, such as lion.

Those warriors who had not participated in the kill sank their spears in the dead animals to benefit from their valour.

Sas1

Posts : 527 Join date : 2009-02-28

Nicely put sas1.
However I think the idea was to wash the spears in human blood not animal. But who would know the diffirence between Animal or Human blood.

SD