One of the greatest African queens, Queen Nandi, has an extraordinary legacy intertwined with that of her son Shaka Zulu. If you did not cry at her funeral, you would most likely be executed. This heroine of the Zulu monarchy shaped the Zulu kingdom all whilst overcoming the rejection and animosity of the people. She was an incredible mother who dedicated her life to her children and paved the way for her son, King Shaka Zulu, to consolidate the Zulu kingdom, transforming it into one of Southern Africa's most formidable civilizations. Behind every great man, there is an even greater woman.

Early Life

The South African Zulu Queen, Nandi Ndlovukazi kaBhebe was born around the 1760s in Melmoth into the eLangeni tribe and was given the name Nandi, meaning: the sweet one. She was the daughter of a minor chief of the eLangeni tribe called Bhebhe. Great mystery surrounds her early childhood as there is insufficient information about it, but it can be deduced that she was raised in accordance with Zulu customs.

Birth of Shaka and the Shame

In 1787, Nandi and her friends were returning from a visit to her relatives in the Babanango Hills, and on their way back, they encountered a caravan of warriors. This is where she met Senzangakhona Kajama, the King of the Zulu people. They had an unlawful affair and engaged in an act of ukuhlobonga/ukusoma (sex without penetration). Senzangakhona impregnated Nandi out of wedlock, and when she informed the King and the elders of the village, they rejected her claim and insisted that she was not pregnant but had been infected by the ‘ishaka’ beetle. This was an intestinal beetle that caused menstrual irregularities and bloating. Eventually, it was discovered she was indeed pregnant and when she gave birth, she named her son Shaka, after the pregnancy beetle.

Senzangakhona tried to deny paternity countless times but eventually married Nandi. She was highly shamed as she was given the lowly position of 3rd wife and was in a forbidden inter-clan marriage, looked down upon as they were deemed too closely related. Nandi and Shaka encountered hostility. They were tormented and constantly bullied, and she fled with her son from place to place until they came across the Mthethwa clan, which embraced them. Diniswayo was the clan chief, and he taught Shaka how to be a leader and a warrior. Nandi instilled strong values in her son, gradually molding him into one of history's greatest kings.

Nandi as Queen

Senzangakhona died in 1815, compelling Shaka to return to the Zulu tribe and reclaim the throne. He kept in mind that these were the people who tormented his mother mercilessly and thus appointed her Queen of the Zulu people as well as his personal advisor. He never married and held his mother in high regard, worshiping her and elevating her to the status of a goddess. She and her son had a beautiful and close relationship, which enhanced their already formidable stature. She was also known as Ndlorukazi, 'The Great She Elephant,' due to her bad temper and proclivity for exacting revenge on her adversaries. Shaka established an all-female regiment inspired by the example set by his mother and they fought the front lines of his army. Together in just a span of 12 years, they managed to expand the kingdom immensely. She battled slave traders and trained her son to become a warrior.

Her Death

Queen Nandi died of dysentery on the 10th of October 1827, a devastating event for Shaka, who adored his mother almost to the point of worship. Her grave was located just outside Eshowe, and Shaka buried his mother alongside ten living maidens to care for her in the afterlife. Additionally, he stationed 12,000 soldiers to guard his mother's grave. He directed that no crops be planted during the year of mourning and that milk, a staple of the Zulu diet at the time, be avoided. He directed that any woman who became pregnant be put to death alongside her husband. Anyone found not to be mourning the Queen's death was also executed, and even cows were slaughtered to teach their calves the pain of mother loss.

Historical Mark and Cultural Legacy

Queen Nandi is one of southern Africa's most powerful queens. She transformed from someone who was humiliated and despised by the Zulu nation into a powerful queen whom everyone feared. Queen Nandi is significant not only for giving birth to the great leader Shaka, but also for her tenacity, resilience, and example to millions of women not to settle for less. She overcame every adversity with the tenacity of a true warrior and is truly a remarkable African woman who changed the world.