A marriage of people who fear and distrust each other cannot last long.

In our story, Ziko, a young man from Dombozo village has fallen in love with the beautiful Luluma of the Mpushu people. But the smoke from the fires of hatred have long blinded the eyes of the people of these two villages.

If Ziko and Luluma could be joined in marriage, then for the first time, the villages could be brought together in peace.

But the heroes of this story are not the star-crossed lovers but the magnificent cattle that make up the lobolo dowry herd. We follow their adventure in a story which twists and turns through a landscape of emotion which is truly African.

Ellis & Bheki will share with you their love of the beauty and poetry of Africa which is symbolised in the strong bonds of intimacy and affection between African people & their cattle.

This is a story of love and hate; a story of reconciliation; a story of great beauty where a cow is not just a cow … the milk has been spilt. Is it too late? The need of our time is to take the bull by the horns and move forward.

"We salute you, great bull of freedom
No kraal can hold one as strong as you.
Your power is like the blue rock of sky
Held high by your magnificent horns
At your bellow the world melts
We have come far & wide to sing your praises.

We wish to thank Marguerite Poland who so generously shared with us the knowledge and resources of her doctoral thesis: THE ABUNDANT HERDS: A CELEBRATION OF THE SANGA-NGUNI CATTLE OF THE ZULU PEOPLE"