The Birth of Shaka

1. The Birth of Shaka Oswald Joseph Mtshali

2. The life of Shaka • Mother was Nandi • Born fatherless • 1816 became leader • Half brothers assassinated him

3. Oswald Joseph Mtshali • Vryheid, KwaZulu-Natal • Attended Wits University • Colombia University

4. His baby cry • When Shaka was born, he cried

5. was of a cub • Metaphor: He sounded like a cub (baby lion), he cried

6. tearing the neck • The cub is tearing at the neck of the lioness. It is an aggressive baby.

7. of the lioness • The lioness is his mother Nandi.

8. because he was fatherless • The poet suggests the baby knew he was fatherless and that is why he cried so desperately.

9. The gods • Not Christian, pagan • The gods planned his life, he was an important person from birth. The gods knew he had potential.

10. boiled his blood • There is a saying: his blood boiled – which means the person is angry. • The poet suggests Shaka became aggressive and more determined because of this action.

11. in a clay pot of passion • The clay pot relates to the Zulu custom of making food and beer in clay pots. Shaka had more traditional passion.

12. to course in his veins. • If passion courses in his veins, he is very passionate

13. His heart was shaped into an ox shield • Metaphor: his heart is as strong as an ox shield. An ox shield is a traditional defensive shield. This means Shaka would be protected

14. to foil every foe • Alliteration: f. His enemies would be fooled.

15. Ancestors forged • Ancestors are very important in Zulu culture. Ancestors determine the prosperity of a family because they intercede in the spirit world. • Forged: when you make metal hot and hit it into a certain shape.

16. his muscles into

17. thongs as tough • Alliteration: t Thongs: leather strips. • Metaphor: His muscles is as strong as leather strips. Simile: His muscles that are as strong as leather strips is also as tough as water bark

18. and nervesas sharp assyringa thorns • Simile: his nerves is as sharp as syringa thorns. • The syringa has no thorns. It is poisonous to humans and the berries make birds drunk. • Maybe Shaka was

19. and nervesas sharp assyringa thorns • Simile: his nerves is as sharp as syringa thorns.

20. His eyes were lanterns • Metaphor: His eyes were as bright as lanterns, seeing into the future.

21. that shone from the dark valleys of Zululand • Dark valleys: Zulus lived there. Not enlightened by Western civilization • Contrasts with white swallows

22. to see white swallows • Metaphor: white swallows. Europeans coming from Europe. A swallow is a bird that migrates from Europe to Africa and the Europeans came from Europe to Africa

23. coming across the sea • The Europeans came by sea

24. His cry to two assassin brothers: • Shaka was assassinated by two of his half brothers

25. Lo! you can kill me

26. but you'll never rule this land!" • They were never as great a leader as Shaka.