Two young Zulu men, adorned in vibrant traditional attire, 1849 (lithograph)

The scene captures two young Zulu men, Umbambu and Umpengulu, adorned in vibrant traditional attire rich with fur, beads, and feathers. Umbambu, from a kraal near Umlazi, wears a striking eagle feather headdress and a kilt fashioned from animal furs and tails. Umpengulu showcases the back of his intricately beaded garment, complemented by an ivory snuff-spoon in his hair. Both wield knob-kirris used for rhythmic beats during dance. The setting is a kraal near Umlazi, featuring the entrance to the cattle-fold. Additionally, an anecdote reveals the Zulus' initial apprehension towards portraiture, associating it with witchcraft and supernatural powers. DISCLAIMER: THIS DIGITIZED RESOURCE CONTAINS COLONIAL-ERA MATERIALS WITH POTENTIALLY OFFENSIVE LANGUAGE AND ATTITUDES. APPROACH WITH HISTORICAL CONTEXT AND DISCRETION