In 1934, American writer Rebecca Hourwich Reyher recorded the remarkable life story of Christina Sibiya, the first of sixty-five wives of the uncrowned king of the Zulus. What Reyher faithfully recorded - and then crafted into a moving narrative - is the riveting story of a South African woman who entered life among the Zulu royal family, and then, after enduring abuse, found the courage to leave. In 1915, fifteen year-old Christina Sibiya leaves teaching at a mission school to become the first wife of Solomon ka Dinizulu. While at the royal household, Sibiya successfully adjusts to the expectations of her new position: finding her place among the other wives, and negotiating Zulu and Christian traditions. After a series of hardships, climaxing in a beating by Solomon, Sibiya at the age of nearly twenty eight, escapes to Durban. Although pursued by Solomon's representative, Sibiya successfully resists Solomon's authority by testifying first in a European magistrate's court, and then at the royal headquarters that her marriage was invalid.

Zulu Woman: The Life of Christina Sibiya

Biographies & Memoirs

Reyher, Rebecca Hourwich

Community & Culture

Univ of Natal Pr

Zulu Woman: The Life Story of Christina Sibiya (Women Writing Africa)

In 1934, American writer Rebecca Hourwich Reyher recorded the remarkable life story of Christina Sibiya, the first of sixty-five wives of the uncrowned king of the Zulus. What Reyher faithfully recorded—and then crafted into a moving narrative—is the riveting story of a South African woman who entered life among the Zulu royal family and then, after enduring psychological and physical abuse, found the courage to leave.In 1915, fifteen-year-old Christina Sibiya left teaching at a mission school to become the first wife of Solomon ka Dinuzulu. While at the royal household, Sibiya successfully adjusted to the expectations of her new position, finding her place among the other wives, and negotiating Zulu and Christian tradition. The royal headquarters, however, became increasingly plagued by divisiveness, dissolution, and ill health. After a series of hardships, climaxing in a beating by Solomon, Sibiya, at the age of twenty-eight, escaped to Durban. Although pursued by Solomon's representative, Sibiya successfully resisted Solomon's authority by testifying first in a European magistrate's court, and then at the royal headquarters, that her marriage was invalid.First published in 1948, Zulu Woman is placed in new context by an introduction and afterword which consider the book's relationship to other African literature and oral history, attend to questions of power and authorship, and draw upon newly available archival materials.

The Feminist Press at CUNY

In 1934, American writer Rebecca Hourwich Reyher recorded the remarkable life story of Christina Sibiya, the first of sixty-five wives of the uncrowned king of the Zulus. What Reyher faithfully recorded—and then crafted into a moving narrative—is the riveting story of a South African woman who entered life among the Zulu royal family and then, after enduring psychological and physical abuse, found the courage to leave. In 1915, fifteen-year-old Christina Sibiya left teaching at a mission school to become the first wife of Solomon ka Dinuzulu. While at the royal household, Sibiya successfully adjusted to the expectations of her new position, finding her place among the other wives, and negotiating Zulu and Christian tradition. The royal headquarters, however, became increasingly plagued by divisiveness, dissolution, and ill health. After a series of hardships, climaxing in a beating by Solomon, Sibiya, at the age of twenty-eight, escaped to Durban. Although pursued by Solomon's representative, Sibiya successfully resisted Solomon's authority by testifying first in a European magistrate's court, and then at the royal headquarters, that her marriage was invalid. First published in 1948, Zulu Woman is placed in new context by an introduction and afterword which consider the book's relationship to other African literature and oral history, attend to questions of power and authorship, and draw upon newly available archival materials.

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Books by Reyher, Rebecca Hourwich

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Reyher, Rebecca Hourwich. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Zulu Woman: The Life of Christina Sibiya

Zulu Woman: The Life Story of Christina Sibiya (Women Writing Africa)

Zulu Woman: The Life Story of Christina Sibiya (Women Writing Africa)