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Zulu Regimental Recognition
From EmpressMiniatures.Com
The creation of the Zulu Empire by Shaka in the early Nineteenth Century saw the amalgamation of
differing tribes and clans into what Europeans recognised in 1879 as one nation. In actual fact it was not as
simple as this and Shaka and his heirs to the throne had varying degrees of success at controlling opposition
political factions. One key part of controlling these clans was the army system. Regiments (ibutho) were
created not based on clans but from males of a similar age and therefore no one clan ever politically
dominated a regiment. These regiments were then housed in barracks (amakhanda) which were strategically
placed around the kingdom to administer the Kings rule.
Regiments were further split into unmarried and married. On the kings command an entire unmarried
regiment would be allowed the honour of marrying. This usually occurred in early middle age. This was
significant as unmarried regiments were in effect doing national service and were at the kings command. On
marrying the men would be allowed live at home and to give obedience to their families and local chief as
well as the King.
There are many incorrect beliefs about the nature of Zulu society and indeed the 1879 Zulu war as a whole.
One of these is that the married regiments formed an elite in the army. This is not actually the case. To
describe the Zulu army in more European terms one has the regular army of serving troops (unmarried) who
on leaving the army went on the reserve list (married). This explanation is perhaps an over simplification of
the system but hopefully helps to explain the married, unmarried regimental and social distinction in its
political context.
Obviously the experience gained in campaign by long serving men was a benefit but at the younger end of
the system the high testosterone levels of young warriors eager to prove their abilities in battle would have
been a great asset, especially when lead by older experienced men.
Like European armies regiments wore uniforms, although not in a way that the Europeans would necessarily
have recognised. Firstly all married regiments wore the head ring. Unmarried regiments did not. This seems
to have been the one part of Zulu dress that was adhered to throughout the entire period.
Secondly Shaka had created a system of shield colours and this had led to the creation of cattle breeding to
achieve the necessary skin colours for shield production. In general terms married regiments carried white
shields and unmarried black. However as time passed this simple system began to become less specific. For
example a regiment may be given an honour by the King which was shown in a change of shield colour. If
you will excuse the pun, the system, by 1879, was not as black and white as it had been.
Regiments also had ceremonial dress which was extremely ornate and obviously regimentally specific.
Cetshwayo ordered the regiments not to wear these ceremonial distinctions in battle therefore we will not go
into too much detail.
What follows is a list of each of the regiments in the Zulu army which will illustrate their shield colours,
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their married status and what major battles they are known to have been in. This list will be constantly
updated.
The Regiments
Name Meaning Status
Shield
Description
Notes
uVe
Name of a
Bird
Unmarried
White with
black and red
spots
Fought at Isandlwana. 3500 warriors.
Left Horn. Hlobane. Uhlundi,
Gingindlovu.
Amakwenkwe - Unmarried
red with white
spot
-
Amashutu
The Lion
Eaters
Unmarried
Black or black
with white
spots
-
Bulawayo
The Place
Of Killing
Married
White and
white and red
-
iMbubi Lion Unmarried
Black with
white spots
Fought at Isandlwana, Khambula.
iNdhlondhlo Euphorbia Married White
Fought at Isandlwana. 900 Warriors.
Reserve fought at Rorke's Drift. Ulundi.
Khambula.
iNdluyengwe
Leopards
Den
Unmarried
Black with a
white spot on
the lower half
Fought at Isandlwana. 1000 warriors.
Reserve fought at Rorke's Drift. Ulundi.
Khambula.
iNgobamakhosi - - - -
iNkobamakosi
The
Bender Of
Kings
Unmarried
Of various
colours such as
black, black
with white
spots, red, red
with white
spots
Fought at Isandlwana. 6000 warriors.
Chest Centre Left Hlobane. Khambula.
Uhlundi. Gingindlovu
iQwa Frost Unmarried
Black although
some witnesses
describe them
as also Fought at Ulundi.
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carrying red
and white
shields
isAngqu
Vaal
River
Unmarried White
Fought at Isandlwana. 1000 warriors.
uNodwengu Corps; Right Horn;
Khambula. Ulundi.
iZinGulube - - - Fought at Nyezane
mBelebele
The
Litigious
Married
White with red
spots
-
mKultyane
The
Straight
Lines
Unmarried White -
nGulubi The Pigs Unmarried
White with
black or red
spots
-
nGwekwe
Crooked
Stick
Unmarried
White with
black or red
spots
-
nKonkone Blue Gnu Married White -
nSugamgeni
Name of a
hill in
Zululand
Unmarried
Black with
white spot on
lower side
Fought at Ulundi.
uDabakaombi
The Affair
Of Ombi
Married
White with
either black or
red spots
-
uDhloko
Name Of
A Snake
Married
Red with a
white spot
Fought at Isandlwana. 1500 warriors.
Undi Corps; reserve fought at Rorke's
Drift, Ulundi, Khambula
uDlambedlu
Ill
Tempered
Married
White with
either black or
red spots
Fought at Nyezane.
uDududu - Unmarried
Black with
white spots
Fought at Isandlwana. 1500 warriors.
uNodwengu Corps. Right Horn. Ulundi.
Khambula.
uDukuza
The
Wanderers
Married
White with
large black
spots
-
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uMbonambi
The Evil
Seers
Unmarried
Red with a
white spot
Fought at Isandlwana. 1500 warriors.
Chest centre Khambula, Uhlundi,
Gingindlovu.
umCijo also called
uKhandempemvu
The Sharp
Pointed
Unmarried Black
Fought at Isandlwana. 1500. Chest
Centre; Hlobane. Khambula. Ulundi,
Gingindlovu.
umHlanga The Reeds Unmarried
Black with
white spots
-
umKusi
River in
Zululand
Unmarried
White with
black or red
spots
-
umLambongwenya
Alligator
Swamp
Married
White with
large black
spots
-
umTulisazwi
The Peace
Makers of
the Land
Unmarried Black -
uMxapho
The
Sprinklers
Unmarried
Black although
some may have
been red or
black with red
spots
Fought at Ulundi. Nyezane.
uMzinyati
Buffalo
River
Married
white with
black spots
-
uNokenke - Unmarried
Black although
many of the
warriors are
recorded as
carrying black
with white
spots
Fought at Isandlwana. 2000 warriors in
the chest Centre Right Khambula.
Ulundi
uNqakamatye
Stone
Cobblers
Unmarried Black -
uSixepi - Married
White with a
large black
spot
-
uSixepi - -
White with
large black 80 years old!
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spots
uTulwana
Named
After A
Basuto
Chief
Married White
Fought at isandlwana. 1500 warriors.
Reserve fought at Rorke's Drift.
Uhlundi. Khambula, Gingindlovu. A
large group of uTulwana surrendered to
Col.Wood's column and were drafted
into Wood's Irregulars.

abaQulusi
The abaQulusi were an administration section of the Zulu Riyal House.Shaka had built a royal homestead
upon Hlobane mountain and in the following 50 years the local population had mixed with the household
staff and their descendants who had settled in the area.
Due to this history they were fiercely loyal to the Zulu Royal family and under the immediate authority of
the King. As such they had managed to stay outside the Zulu military system and developed some form of
independence. They had no chiefs as such but instead were ruled by Indunas appointed by the King.
Their Independence meant that they did not carry specific shield colours and didn't have married and
unmarried regiments. Instead married and unmarried men seem to have been mixed together in company
sized units of around 50 to 70 warriors. There is the possibility that the companies were separated by age
into different units but this is unknown for sure. This gives the wargamer the opportunity to mix both
married and unmarried warriors in the same unit with each warrior having a shield of any size, colour and
shape that they like! There is one reference of a company at Hlobane having white shields which could well
have been due to them being issued from the Royal homestead during the battle (and presumably given to
the older warriors).
The abaQulusi fought in the north against Wood's column at iNtombe Drift, Hlobane and possibly made an
appearance at Kambula to support the main Zulu army.