Content deleted Content added
Gilgamesh he (talk | contribs) m he+ |
mNo edit summary |
||
Line 1:
An '''Impi''' was a [[Zulu]] [[warband]]. The first impis were formed by Zulu king [[Shaka]], who was then only the exiled illegitimate son of king [[Senzangakona]], but already showing much prowess as a general in the army of [[Mthethwa]] king [[Dingiswayo]] in the Mthethwa-[[Ndwandwe]] war in the early 1810s.
Impi warriors were raised from the age as low as of six, joining the army as ''udibi'' porters at first, being enrolled into [[age set|same-age groups]] (''intanga'') and being formally formed into regiments (''ibutho'') after their 20th birthday. They were trained to outrun a horse, cover about 80 km (50 miles) a day in foot and hide and stalk in the underbrush. They swore loyalty to the king of the Zulu tribe. They were not allowed to marry before they had proved their courage in some way.
Every impi was a thousand warriors strong and originally contained warriors from the same ''intanga'' (this practice later changed as casualties suffered by the regiments made reinforcements necessary). Each impi had its own colors in colored shields, headdress and other ornaments. An impi was also accompanied by ''udibi'', young boys who carried implements like cooking pots and sleeping mats and on occasion acted as scouts. Shaka insisted that troops wear no shoes—they could run faster and were not disabled by the loss of their sandals. Training for this was to stamp thorns into the ground with bare feet.
Line 20:
::''<nowiki>'</nowiki>An a Zulu Impi dished us up in style.''
[[Category:Military formations]][[Category:Zulus]]
[[he:אימפי]]
| |||