Nongoma — King Misuzulu had to slaughter a bull to cleanse himself after killing a lion.
On Thursday, on the eve of his kraal entering ceremony which is expected to take place on Saturday morning, the king accompanied by a few amabutho (Zulu regiments) and game rangers, went on hunting the lion which he had to kill himself.
Explaining the process from beginning to end, the king's praise singer, Buzetsheni Mdletshe, told the Daily News on Friday that he left KwaKhangelamankengane in the same car as the king.
Mdletshe said that upon entering the game reserve, they spotted the first lion but before the king could shoot it, it vanished into the bush and was advised by the game rangers not to follow it because the animal was dangerous in the bush.
The praise singer said a second lion was spotted lying next to a pool, facing opposite the king and hunters, adding that before it could see them the king shot it in the foreleg but had to be assisted by the game rangers to finish it off when the wounded lion advanced towards them because it was becoming dangerous.
Upon reaching the palace, Mdletshe said that a bull was slaughtered so that the king would be cleansed because the lion was regarded as another king.
Kings are also referred to as “Ingonyama”, a name which is also referred to as lions - the king killing a lion is equal to killing another king - so it was important for the king to cleanse himself after killing another king; the lion, said the praise singer.
Mdletshe further explained that the king wanted to emulate Shaka kaSenzangakhona who before ascending to the throne killed a lion by himself with his spear.
He added that the late King Zwelithini kaBhekuzulu also killed the lion in Gazankulu in Mpumalanga before his coronation in 1971, thus making King Misuzulu the third king to practise this ritual.
Daily News