King Shaka: Zulu Legend (African Graphic Novel Series)
This graphic novel continues the story begun in Shaka Rising of King Shaka of the Zulus, who reigned in the early 1800s in southern Africa. Shaka’s trusted advisor Ndengezi warns him about the Mpondo clan reportedly using witchcraft to harass the nation’s southern borders. But Shaka believes he must concentrate on securing the loyalty of nearer clans first. Shaka’s mother, Nandi, also warns him about rebellious distant chiefs. Dissent among the clans, disagreement over Shaka’s permitting shipwrecked whites to settle in the area, and Nandi’s death create a power crisis between Shaka and his brothers.
The 22-page supplement to this graphic novel emphasizes that it is historical fiction, because Zulu culture had an oral, unwritten tradition. The “facts” were later written down by European settlers who had outsiders’ perspectives. The supplement discusses politics, the role of women, and Zulu history, culture, and language, though there’s no bibliography. There is also a list of questions prompting further research, and a useful two-page character directory. This story would make an excellent fictional hook to get children interested in African history and would lead them to want to learn about the Zulu nation.
