KEY POINTS:
The Zulu chief looked a tad impatient as he sat on his throne, resplendent in cheetah skin collar, fur cuffs and tassled kilt, waiting for the young woman sitting on the ground at his feet to prepare the sorghum beer.
It was easy to sympathise. The village was
hot, humid and dusty, and the chief had issued instructions that those wanting to join him for a drink had to take their hats off (though I noticed his plumes stayed in place), so my bald head was baking in the sun. A reviving ale was becoming a matter of urgency.
But the young woman seemed to be going as fast as she could. Earlier she had demonstrated how the sorghum was crushed in a stone grinder before being soaked in water and left to ferment in a large calabash. Now she was busy straining the mixture through what looked like a large old sock to prepare it for drinking.
Finally all was ready. The young woman took a sip just to show she hadn't poisoned it. The chief had a bigger swig and nodded his approval. It was party time.
The young woman came over with a sort of ladle made from a gourd, brimming with beer, and offered me a drink.
I had a long swallow of the cloudy brownish liquid which turned out to be quite thick, a little sour and surprisingly refreshing.
It was only when the server looked a little disgruntled at how much I had drunk, and moved on to the next guy, that I realised that single gourdful was supposed to do for all of us. Lucky I was first.
The pub we were in - well, a clearing with a few logs to sit on, really - was at Shakaland, a replica Zulu village originally built as a set for the 1960s film Shaka Zulu, since redeveloped as a tourist attraction where visitors can get a taste of Zulu culture.
Shaka, illegitimate and unwanted, essentially created the Zulu nation around 190 years ago by welding assorted clans into a cohesive fighting force.
Just getting to the village named after him, which is a 160km drive from the city of Durban, is like a progress through the tribe's history.
Almost every place we pass provokes some anecdote from Thomas Rodolo, a retired 81-year-old Catholic priest, who is our guide on the journey.
The modern town of Stanger is where Shaka built his last capital, KwaDukuza, and where he was killed by his half brothers.
"They hid his body in a grain pit but there is now a memorial and a garden on the spot where he was burie," Thomas tells us.
As we approach Zululand, the municipal district of South Africa's KwaZulu-Natal province where most Zulus still live today, he draws attention to the little clusters of round, thatched houses where extended families live and farm their land.
"Most of the people in this area," says Thomas, "are descendants of John Dunn. Cetshwayo, the last true Zulu king, wanted to have Mr Dunn as an adviser so he gave him a big piece of land plus 48 wives to keep him there."
The slow-moving Tugela River is these days the boundary of Zululand though Shaka's kingdom once extended more widely.
"Just near here in 1879 was the Battle of Isandlwana when the British crossed the river to invade Zululand and were badly beaten. But the British eventually won, of course, and Cetshwayo was captured and sent into exile in London."
A road sign produces a chuckle. "Say that," he urges. Gingindlovu. "Very good. This was the British soldiers' favourite place. They used to say to their officers, 'Gin gin I love you,' when they wanted a drink."
The hills in the distance are where Shaka's main capital, KwaBulawayo, was built. "In its time," says Thomas, "this was probably the biggest city in Africa."
Down that road is Shaka's Rock. "From there you can see right to the coast. Shaka could stand there and see enemies approaching."
Nearby is Coward's Bush. "That," says Thomas, "is where there used to be a forest of thorn trees. Shaka would send his warriors through with no clothes and any that weren't brave enough would be killed."
If any more evidence is needed that Shaka was a demanding ruler it comes from the grave of his mother, Nandi, which is also known as "the place of killing".
"The official mourning was for three days and anyone who didn't cry enough was killed."
By the time we get to Shakaland we almost don't need to watch an edited version of Shaka Zulu, telling the tale of Shaka's rise to power, to put us in the mood for the village.
The village has a spectacular gate, decorated with elephant heads, carvings and ceramic sculptures, which leads to a tidy village of round huts overlooking the Phobane Lake.
In the village you can watch old women weaving and making sorghum beer, young women cooking or strolling around with pots balanced improbably on their heads, men sharpening their stabbing spears or practising fighting skills with spears and huge shields.
Inside the great house, where the chief and his senior wife sit on their thrones, the young men and women put on a performance of the spectacular Zulu dancing, kicking so high they almost hit themselves in the face.
And, of course, you can join the chief for a draught of beer ... provided the greedy beggar before you hasn't drunk the lot.
Jim Eagles travelled to South Africa as guest of South African Tourism.
GETTING THERE: Qantas flies several times a week from Sydney to Johannesburg under a codeshare arrangement with South African Airways. See qantas.co.nz or flysaa.com. South African Airways has regular flights from Johannesburg to Durban. See flysaa.com.
WHERE TO STAY: The Beverly Hills Hotel, in the Umhlanga Rocks district of Durban, occupies a spectacular site on the coast.
WHAT TO DO: You can get details about visits to Shakaland.
FURTHER INFORMATION: See the South African Tourism website.
