© 2023 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Publishers. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences (EHASS) ISSN – Online 2720-7722 | Print 2821-8949 Volume 4 Issue 3 – March 2023 pp 300-311 Available online at: https://noyam.org/journals/ehass/ DOI : https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.20234310 Indlamu: An Image of Zulu Upper-class Culture of the Past Sakhiseni Joseph Yende 1 and Vusabantu Ngema 2 1 Department of Performing Arts, Tshwane University of Technology, Pretoria, South Africa. 2 Independent Scholar, KwaZulu Natal, South Africa. INTRODUCTION Abundant evidence clearly indicates that dance practice among the Zulu tribe has long played an integral part in maintaining the Zulu Kingdom and its traditions. Indlamu dance is commonly known as one of the Zulu team dancing styles associated with male migrant workers of the 1930s in South African industrial history. Writers have covered dance forms that are part of recreational activities or dance-songs used by Zulu male migrants as pastime activities in Durban and Johannesburg. 1 The 1 Thembinkosi Israel Biyela, "Ucwaningo olunzulu lokuqhathanisa umculo kaMasikandi neSicathamiya njengobalulekile esikweni lesizwe samaZulu, kugxilwe kakhulu kuPhuzekhemisi kanye naMambazo Amnyama." PhD diss., 2001, http://uzspace.unizulu.ac.za/handle/10530/291; David Coplan, In township tonight: South Africa’s Black city music and ABSTRACT Even though Indlamu dance has been a central feature of the Zulu nation, few historical studies address the social status of Indlamu. Indlamu has been largely overlooked as an image of Zulu upper-class people, even though the majority of people had ample access to Indlamu. Also, Indlamu is most often associated with Zulu culture untouched by Western influence, probably because it is regarded as a touchstone of Zulu identity. The purpose of this article is to demonstrate that Indlamu has never been about war dance only for the peasants and migrants’ workers (ordinary people), but rather ‘an image of the Zulu upper-class culture of the past’. The demonstration is done by analysing Indlamu's history, structural form, performance, and appreciation throughout the decades. This paper employs a textual analysis approach and direct interviews with selected participants who possess extensive knowledge of Indlamu. This article argues that Indlamu is used as a tool to present a Zulu warrior/combatant as an ordered, disciplined, submissive, and obedient member of society. The findings demonstrate that according to the perceived Zulu nationalism and modern capitalism, an ideal Zulu warrior is submissive and obedient to their authorities. This is ascribed to Indlamu performance's requirements for complete regimental clothing, exact time, and unwavering posture. This article concludes by affirming that similar to ballet and how King Louis XIV would symbolise things like war or Apollo, implying authority and empire, Indlamu performers would likewise symbolise power and battle. This article is intended to bring an understanding of the role of Indlamu in the Zulu nation. Keywords: Culture, Indlamu, upper-class, war dance, Zulu identity Correspondence Sakhiseni Joseph Yende Email: YendeSJ@tut.ac.za Publication History Received 14 th November, 2022 Accepted 23 rd January, 2023 Published online 17 th March, 2023