Did These Monuments Ever Get Built ???

Hi Littlehand

There is a Chaka Memorial and Stone in Couper Street, Stanger, around 50 miles north of Durban.

After Chaka's murder at his kraal at Dukaza ( which became Stanger ), his grave became sacred ground with no cattle allowed to graze there. Eventually a village arose at Dukaza and in 1921 a local authority was established. When this village was laid out, an acre of land around Chaka's grave was reserved. The Zulu chief Soloman ka Dinizulu then had the idea of erecting a memorial, with most of the money being raised by the Zulus themselves. The monument was unveiled in 1932.

Next to Chakas memorial is a large round boulder, on which it is said that Chaka used to sit and watch his impis pass by. A bronze plaque was affixed in 1949.

I have a large reference book ' The Historical Monuments of South Africa ' and will check this out to see if I can find any other of the memorials.

JohnB

John. Thanks very much for the informative reply.

Quote :

I have a large reference book ' The Historical Monuments of South Africa ' and will check this out to see if I can find any other of the memorials.

Looking forward to it..

Good morning.
The book that has been referred to is "The Historical Monuments of South Africa" by JJ Oberholster. It was published by the Rembrandt van Rijn Foundation in 1972 and while it is a valuable record of monuments that were recorded in the old era, it is somewhat incomplete.
The account in the book about King Shaka kaSenzangakhona's monument that JohnB refers to is also slightly incorrect; the stone that lies adjacent to the monument, according to tradition, is the one that was rolled over the grain pit into which Shaka's body was tumbled and therefore covers his grave. The 'observation rock' from which he used to review his amabutho as they paraded between the two amakhanda (military garrisons) named kwaHlomendlini ('The place of the home guard') and Ndumuzulu ('The thunder of heaven') is situated behind the Groutville school, several kilimetres south towards Durban.
I'll post a couple of photographs.
Regards, Ken

Hi Ken

Thank you for the information above. I have some photographs of the monument (and adjacent rock) at [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.] in case of interest to other Forum members. But in addition to any photographs that you might add, I wonder do you have one of the "observation rock " you mention? Would be interested to see that. Thanks again.

U

hi umbiki.
Thanks for the photo's , much appreciated.
cheers 90th.

Ken - Thanks for the comments. The Historical Monuments book indicates the boulder was moved from the original site to the Stanger memorial - I quote " it originally lay on the high ground above the main road to the east of Stanger and a few hundred metres south of the Groutville school" From what you say there are 2 separate boulders.

Littlehand - I have checked the aforementioned book for references to any other memorials - the only references I can find relate to to the graves of Mpande and Dinizulu. Mpande is buried adjacent to his former kraal at Nodwengu and a bronze plaque was affixed in 1940 by the Historical Monuments Commision. Dinizulu is buried in the Emakhosini valley but there is no mention of a plaque or marker.

JohnB

From Ken. Photo's as promised.

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Shaka's memorial, Stanger.

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Shaka's grave lengthwise.

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Shaka's Rock, Groutville.
Photo's By Ken Gillings.

It would appear that there was a slight glitch when I posted a response to the query about the two rocks.
They are two separate entities; the one (the dolerite, roundish one in the photograph) covers the entrance to the grain pit into which Shaka's body was tumbled. The grave and the monument are situated in the town of Stanger, now renamed kwaDukuza ('Where one becomes lost / confused' - a reference to the enormous size of the ikhanda). The road used to be known as Couper Street (after a family who were pioneers of the area) but it has been renamed King Shaka Street.
Regarding the graves of King Mpande kaSenzangakhona and King Dinuzulu (note the correct spelling, which translates as 'He who gratifies / satiates the Zulus'), the former is buried at the site of his kwaNodwengu ikhanda at Ulundim while the latter is buried on the banks of the Mpembeni River in the eMakhosini Valley.
There are 7 kings buried in the eMakhosini; Zulu Nkulunkulu, Phunga, Mageba, Ndaba, Jama, Senzangakhona and Dinuzulu. As mentioned, Mpande is buried at Ulundi, Dingane in the Gwaliweni Forest near Jozini, Cetshwayo near Mome Gorge on the fringe of the Nkandla Forest and Solomon and Cyprian at Mahashini near Nongoma.
There is another Zulu Ntombela buried north-west of Zulu Nkulunkulu, who is generally believed to be the progenitor of the abakwaZulu.
The memorial with the bronze plaque referred to is actually not quite Mpande's grave, which is situated about 100 metres away. It - like many others - has been 'modernised' by having a granite slab erected over it. If anyone needs a photograph, please e-mail me and I'll send it electronically.
Regards, Ken

hi Ken.
Thanks for the photo's and text . Much appreciated .
cheers 90th.