"Chakaland" is an ethnographic complex located on a high hill, ending at the sacred for the local population lake Umhlatuz. The complex is located in one of the most picturesque places in the KwaZulu-Natal province.
Chakaland is an open-air museum that recreated the look of a traditional Zulu village. The village is called Chakaland, in honor of the leader of the Zulu tribe, King Chaki, who terrified all the tribes of southern Africa. Chaka was the illegitimate son of a Zulu chieftain. He not only regained power, but also made the Zulus the most powerful tribe in these places. Chaka created a powerful army, equipping it at that time with the most modern weapons, introduced new orders and traditions, organizing a colossal expansion in a vast territory. The principle of the struggle was this: “The enemy must be struck in such a way that he can no longer recover. Either he will cease to exist as an independent tribe, or he will again try to grab us by the throat. ” As a result of ruthless tyranny, many rebellious tribes were destroyed. The king maintained strict and even cruel discipline. For example, after the death of his mother, the leader forbade his entire population to drink milk, sow fields and perform dances for two years. The Zulus almost died out of hunger and exhaustion. Not surprisingly, the leader’s life ended tragically. He was strangled by his own brother with two close commanders. The history of the village, considered the residence of the Zulu king, begins in 1984, when several traditional Zulu kraals were specially built for the filming of The Leader of Chuck (1986). The television series, which was very popular, was acquired by many foreign companies, and the lead actor Henry Cele became a television star. In the final scene of the film, all the Zulus villages were mercilessly burned except for the one in which Chuck's father lived. After filming the movie, the village of Chakaland turned into a place to preserve the traditions of the Zulu people. This settlement, now turned into a hotel combined with an ethnographic complex, introduces the rites and traditions of the Zulu people. In principle, in the surrounding villages, the Zulus live about the same as two hundred years ago, but it is clear that civilization came here. The program of visiting the complex begins with watching a documentary about the tyrannical leader, after which tourists are invited to the village. Here you can look into the smoky dwelling of a shaman-healer - a sangoma who goes on bones and performs a ritual of cleansing from evil spirits. After that, an English-speaking man dressed in skins, the Zulu guide will tell about the great Zulu army and about the life and traditions of the Zulu tribe. For example, the white-red flag above the hut means that a person in love lives in it: white is a symbol of purity, red is that love needs to be fought. During the study tour, guests of the village will be able to observe various traditional works - building a hut, making copies, making beer, decorating with beads and pottery. Warriors of the tribe will demonstrate their assegai martial art skills. Visiting the leader of a tribe of tourists, they will be treated to an old African meat dish (you should not count on a large portion), as well as to local reed moonshine - a beer dump. Well, in the evening, at dinner, served in a thatched hut decorated in a traditional African style, and having tasted exotic dishes with a local beer tasting, guests can watch a show in front of the bonfire with ritual martial dances to the rhythms of tom toms, recreating events from the days of the leader’s exploits Chucky. You can visit the Chakaland village daily from morning to evening, and those who wish to stay overnight can use very unusual apartments in the Protea Hotel chain of hotels.