It was not my intention to promote tribalism by posting that newsletter. I just wanted to show those who suppport Mugabe that there is a whole African nation that have suffered under him.
With regard to Ndebele and Zulu history, I find it fascinating. I've studied Zulu history since I was 10 (I'm now 38). During bad times in my life, I remember the courage of the Zulu warriors who defeated the British at the Battle of Isandhlwana in 1879. They just kept charging, even though British bullets and shells were flying towards them. When I've got troubles, I use the Zulu warriors to symbolise myself, and the bullets and shells to symbolise my troubles. That gives me the courage to face those troubles.
I know that the Ndebele are not purely of Zulu descent, though the Ndebele and Zulu languages are almost identical. Apparently 60% of Ndebeles (including Joshua Nkomo) are of Shona descent. As you may know, Joshua Nkomo belonged to a tribe called the Kalanga, who were originally Shona-speaking but had become absorbed into the Ndebele.
This mixture of descent also exists in my own country, Wales in Britain. I am considered Welsh because I was born in Wales (as were my parents), but I actually have more English ancestors than Welsh. The same is true of lots of people in South Wales, though many of them would be offended if you called them English!
Ultimately, concepts such as 'ethnic group' or 'race' are human inventions. All human beings belong to the same 'race', which, incidentally, originated in Africa.
