Our Story Dingiswayo The people clans and events that shaped Southern Africa

Book reviews, pp. 289-302289Yesterday&Today, No. 22, December 2019Book ReviewsOur Story Godongwana becomes Dingiswayo(South African Heritage Publishers, Johannesburg, South Africa2020. ISBN: 9781928326298)Jimmy Justice Maluleke et al.Derick MyeniUniversity of Zululand, Empangeni, South Africamrmyenind1@gmail.comThe book presents a narrative account of King Dingiswayo, a role model for peacemakers who managed to evade assassins sent by his own father for five years. Upon his return he renamed himself Dingiswayo (Wanderer), who came across as a westernized, diplomatic and intellectually smart man to the astonishment of many abaNguni kings. He came up with an innovative policy aimed at developing abaNguni Federation where amakhosi retained their clans and prestige while paying tribute to him as sovereign, after realizing that incessant battles would depopulate the land to a larger extent. He also introduced several reforms particularly to traditional practices as well as in the military, which resulted in the creation of employment on a larger scale based on trade and agriculture. Furthermore, the formation of a formidable KwaMthethwa Kingdom under him that seemingly surpassed other neighbouring Kingdoms such as those for AmaNdwandwe and the Swazi Kingdom that was in the distant north under Sobhuza, is also covered in the book. Dingiswayo became the most modern King in the Southern tip of Africa for many reasons that inter alia included, the upbringing of King Shaka and the initiation of regimental conscription. In his system of conscription, he based this formidable task on the regimental enrolment (ukubuthwa kwamabutho) that was age-based and they were given regimental names that marked their age group or peers such as Izichwe. Chapter One presents a context of Africas Oral Tradition. Here the author details how oral tradition played out through educational fieldtrips and excursions, where the learners got an opportunity to interact with primary evidence. Nkosikazi Khumalo, a schoolmistress took her learners on a trip to historical sites around KwaZulu-Natal. They visited Emakhosini Heritage Site, the burial site of the early amakhosi akwaZulu, the Gqokli Hill, where King Shaka defeated inkosi yesizwe sama Ndwandwe aroun