ABSTRACT
In their relationship with the departed relatives, Zulu people in South Africa have adapted to conditions that were not friendly to the agrarian origins of their ancestor veneration. The process of urbanization as a result of industrialization brought Zulus – especially their menfolk – to towns and cities where they lived in single-sex dwellings. The restrictions of these rented houses prevented these Zulu from practicing many of the traditional rituals associated with ancestor veneration. The homes were built too close together for privacy, where they could neither keep stock nor slaughter for ritual purposes. Additionally the herbs for rituals were not readily available. Despite these and other challenges, a number of signs in everyday life persist, such as the leather-thong bangle, that show that Zulu people have maintained a constant relationship with their departed.
