 | |
| Author | Mazisi Kunene |
|---|---|
| Cover artist | Ingrid Crewdson |
| Language | English |
| Series | Heinemann African Writers Series |
| Genre | Zulu heroic epic poetry |
Publication date | 1979 |
| Publication place | South Africa |
| Pages | xxxvi + 438 |
Emperor Shaka the Great is an epic poem based on the Zulu oral tradition, compiled in Zulu then translated by South African poet Mazisi Kunene and published in 1979 in the Heinemann African Writers Series. The poem follows the life of Shaka Zulu, documenting his exploits as a king of the Zulu people, who produced considerable advances in State structure and military technologies of the Zulu. Some critics express concern over the historicity of the retelling. However, Kunene's embrace of an African perspective on Shaka's rule expresses an attempt at understanding the apparent horrors observed by Europeans in the history of Shaka.