The Zion Christian Church (or ZCC) is the largest African initiated church operating across Southern Africa. The church's headquarters are at Zion City Moria in Limpopo Province, South Africa (Northern Transvaal). According to the 1996 South African Census, the church numbered 3.87 million members. By the 2001 South African Census, its membership had increased to 4.97 million members. The final number of ZCC members is most likely between 8 and 10 million, in total, according to figures provided by Neal Collins from The New Age and Alex Matlala from The Citizen, two South African newspapers. History The ZCC was founded by Engenas Lekganyane in 1910 after a long journey of trying to find a spiritual home. After being educated at two Anglican missions, Lekganyane joined the Apostolic Faith Mission in Boksburg. He then joined the Zion Apostolic Church schism and eventually became a preacher of a congregation in his home village during late World War I. After falling out with the ZAC leadership, Lekganyane went to Basutoland to join Edward Lion's Zion Apostolic Faith Mission. Lekganyane ZCC members trace the founding of the church to a revelation which Lekganyane is said to have received from God on the top of Mt Thabakgone. After splitting from Lion, Lekganyane used his home village of Thabakgone, near Polokwane (Pietersburg), as a headquarters, with about twenty initial congregations in the Northern Transvaal, the Witwatersrand, and Rhodesia. In 1930 Lekganyane began building a stone church there. After clashes with his chief, Lekganyane was expelled with his church still unfinished. Determined to obtain land, he eventually purchased three farms in the Polokwane area. Maclean Farm near Thabakgone would eventually be renamed as "Moria", the ZCC's headquarters. The ZCC was officially registered in 1962 after the government's reluctance to recognise one of the continent's largest and most influential churches. The early church was strongly influenced by the doctrines of the Christian Catholic Church of John Alexander Dowie, based in Zion, Illinois in the United States of America, and by the teachings of the Pentecostal missionary John G. Lake, who began work in Johannesburg in 1908. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efsQhNAxFEY

The Zulu Reed dance Princess Cebolenkosi, daughter of the amaZulu King Goodwill Zwelithini has presented her reed to the Zulu King. She led thousands of maidens who are participating in the annual Reed Dance at the eNyokeni Royal Palace in Nongoma in northern KwaZulu-Natal. Maidens from different parts of KwaZulu-Natal Mpumalanga province, Gauteng and Swaziland have braved the cold and rainy conditions to be a part of the gathering. For more on this we earlier spoke to our reporter on the ground, Sibongakonke Mbatha. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tYWkfOsQ7io

Umemulo Umemulo is a traditional Zulu coming of age ceremony for women. The rituals involve slaughtering a cow and the traditional Zulu dance Ukusina involving a spear. A woman's Umemulo ceremony signifies that the she is now ready for marriage. Umemulo meaning Umemulo is one of the many beautiful Zulu words whose English translation is “coming of age.” While the word is synonymously Zulu, the ceremony it represents can be found in other cultures all over the world such as the Hispanic Quinceaneras. It marks the transition of a girl into womanhood signifying she is an adult and therefore ready for marriage. Umemulo ceremony preparation Umemulo is not just a birthday party; it is a process that involves years of planning from the moment a girl hits puberty at around 13 or 14 years of age. Immediately she starts her menstrual cycle, the countdown to her Umemulo begins and ends with the actual ceremony once she turns 21. Traditionally, the girl is supposed to undergo various classes where she is taught of everything that is expected of her and the disappointments she may face once she crosses into womanhood. Chastity is highly valued at this stage with the crowning jewel being the Umemulo ceremony that is solely for virgins. In keeping with this requirement, Zulu girls may be required to attend monthly virginity classes from their first period to the moment they undergo their Umemulo ceremony. In as much as these classes are to test virginity, they are also used to educate the girls on all matters self-worth, respect, and womanhood. Once a girl reaches 21 and having fulfilled her Zulu tradition obligation she can now prepare for her Umemulo. Umemulo Ceremony The ceremony begins a week before the set date which is more often a Saturday. During the week, the girl undergoing her Umemulo ceremony (bride) is not allowed outside the house. Everything she needs is provided by her bridesmaids (izimpelesi) for the whole week, and she gets the bride treatment all week. On the eve of her ceremony, the girl is allowed to go out for a few minutes, covered with a blanket to welcome the cow the family gifts her as a present. Once she does this, she retreats to the hut once again amid singing. The cow is very significant, and each part plays a significant role in the Umemulo ceremony the following day. In the middle of the night, all the girls leave the house completely naked to go and sleep by a river singing and dancing all night. In the morning, the ukuhlolwa (final virginity test) is carried out by a ngobese and once positive a lot of ululations to alert the family is made. All the girls bathe and get ready in their Zulu traditional wear to begin the celebration. The fat from the cow that was slaughtered is put around her head once she and her izimpelesi co ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opa58teHrtw

The Zion Christian Church (or ZCC) is the largest African initiated church operating across Southern Africa. The church's headquarters are at Zion City Moria in Limpopo Province, South Africa (Northern Transvaal). According to the 1996 South African Census, the church numbered 3.87 million members. By the 2001 South African Census, its membership had increased to 4.97 million members. The final number of ZCC members is most likely between 8 and 10 million, in total, according to figures provided by Neal Collins from The New Age and Alex Matlala from The Citizen, two South African newspapers. History The ZCC was founded by Engenas Lekganyane in 1910 after a long journey of trying to find a spiritual home. After being educated at two Anglican missions, Lekganyane joined the Apostolic Faith Mission in Boksburg. He then joined the Zion Apostolic Church schism and eventually became a preacher of a congregation in his home village during late World War I. After falling out with the ZAC leadership, Lekganyane went to Basutoland to join Edward Lion's Zion Apostolic Faith Mission. Lekganyane ZCC members trace the founding of the church to a revelation which Lekganyane is said to have received from God on the top of Mt Thabakgone. After splitting from Lion, Lekganyane used his home village of Thabakgone, near Polokwane (Pietersburg), as a headquarters, with about twenty initial congregations in the Northern Transvaal, the Witwatersrand, and Rhodesia. In 1930 Lekganyane began building a stone church there. After clashes with his chief, Lekganyane was expelled with his church still unfinished. Determined to obtain land, he eventually purchased three farms in the Polokwane area. Maclean Farm near Thabakgone would eventually be renamed as "Moria", the ZCC's headquarters. The ZCC was officially registered in 1962 after the government's reluctance to recognise one of the continent's largest and most influential churches. The early church was strongly influenced by the doctrines of the Christian Catholic Church of John Alexander Dowie, based in Zion, Illinois in the United States of America, and by the teachings of the Pentecostal missionary John G. Lake, who began work in Johannesburg in 1908. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pzCQ9IASGAw