In some parts of southern Africa, the locals believe a solar eclipse occurs when a crocodile eats the sun. It is said this celestial crocodile briefly devours our life giving star to show its displeasure at the actions of man. It is considered to be the very worst of omens.
Today, 1 Aug 2008, the world will experience a solar eclipse. The path will start in northern Canada and then continue through Greenland, central Russia, eastern Kazakhstan, western Mongolia, China and India. A partial eclipse will also be visible in eastern North America, most of Europe and Asia. London will experience a 12% eclipse. The next solar eclipse will be 22 Jul 2009.
Living in the west, its very easy to dismiss such superstitions and beliefs of African tribes who believe in this such as “When A Crocodile Eats The Sun” but consider this. During the Battle of Isandlwana, the first battle of the Anglo-Zulu War in 1879, a 73% eclipse covered the battlefield. The terrible omen hovered over the battle that triggered the defeat of the Zulu army and it was not only the Zulus who suffered. The Anglo-Zulu war had been started against the wishes of Queen Victoria and it is said that it was a contributing factor to the defeat of Benjamin Disraeli’s government in the 1880 election.
The planet experiences a solar eclipse about once a year but it is usually decades before the same place experiences another eclipse so when you consider the Zulu superstition and combine it with the fact that the Isandlwana battlefield was darkened by a solar eclipse on 22 Jan 1879. From there, consider the consequences of the battle, it does make you start to wonder that maybe there is a bit more to these superstitions than we in the west are prepared to acknowledge.
For more information about visiting Isandlwana,CLICK HERE
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
Custom Search
No comments:
Post a Comment