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DlNIZULU NECKLACE

HISTORY TURNSIn 1888, when an expeditionwas sent to Zululand, SouthAfrica, it had to contend withDinizulu, King of the Zulus -a clever, heavily built man,6ft.7ins. in height. On Stateoccasions, Dinizulu wore anecklace, about 12 feet inlength. It consisted of 1,000,or more, wood beads, strungon a raw-hide lace. Thebeads were of various sizes,some up to 4 inc hes long,some a lot smaller. Theywere made of a South Africanyellow wood which has a softpith, so that when the beadswere shaped, this pith madea little natural nich, at theends of each bead.

The bead - necklace was adistinction conferred onRoyalty and "on outstandingwarriors. During the host-l.litles that swept Natal andZululand, in those farawaydays, the man who was tobecome the Founder of theScout Movement -- thenCaptain Robert Baden-Powell -- gained possessionof Dinizulu's Necklace and,as soldiers do, he placed itamong his war souvenirs.

FULL CIRCLE

Later, during the Siege ofMafeking, B-P met anelderly African who queriedhis unusual depression. Theman took from his neck aleather thong, placed it inB-P's hand, and said, "Wearthis. My mother gave it tome for luck. Now it willbring you luck".

Many years after Baden-Powell had founded Scoutingin 1907, he instituted WoodBadge Training for Scouters

The old framed photograph shows Dinizulu, King of theZulus, when he commenced his reign in 1884. Draped overthe left of the frame is one of the four replicas of DinzululsNecklace, made to mark Scouting's Diamond Jubilee, 1967.Over the right of the frame is the famous V./ood Bacgc- madeof replicas of wood beads from Dinizulu' 8 Necklace and wornby trained Scoutmasters throughout the world.

in 1!H9, and this Traininggot its namc and its emblem,in the following way:-

Seeking a badge that highlytrained Scouters could wear,Baden-Powell rememberedDinizulu IS Necklace, and thelucky leather thong theelderly African had givenhim. Taking two wood-beadsfrom the necklace, and

knotting them on the thong,he created the now world-famous Wood Badge, to bethe only Prone ieney Badgeworn by Scouters.

ITe used the smaller beadsfrom Dinbr,ulll's Necklace.The supply soon ran out, andreplicas were made of beechat Gilwell Park, London.These are now worn by tens

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DINIZULU NECKLACE decided to make four authen-tic replicas of Dinizulu's

of thousands of men and Necklace. After muchwomen around the world who, research and months of hardthrough taking to Wood work by European RoverBadge Training, 'have equip- Scouts in Natal, and Zuluped themselves to serve Scouts from Natal Troops,boyhood, through Scouting. the four reproductions of theWood Badge Scouters wear original were completed.two beads. The Members of Three of them were taken toTraining Team wear three or the 12th World Jamboree infour bead~. The Camp Chief Idaho, USA, in August, 1967.at Gilwell Park wears six of For museum purposes, one'the original beads. These, necklace was presented toin the first instance, were the Chief Scout Executive of

'presented by Baden-Powell the host country, Boy Scoutsto Sir Percy Everett who of America; one to the Actingvisited the first-ever Scout Director of the Boy ScoutsCamp on Brownsea Island, in World Bureau; one to the1907. Later, Sir Percy Camp Chief, Internationalpresented them to John Training Centre, GilwellThurman, to be worn, as Park, Chingford (London).badge of office of the Camp The fourth necklace remainsChief, >Gilwell Park. in South Africa, as historicThe family of Dinizulu's late memento of the land of theson recently asked whether origin of the Wood Badge.the necklace could be returned ~.~to the-family but, when it wasexplained to them how the'beads had been used, theywere more than satisfied.

The story has now come fullcircle: The present Para-mount Chief of the ZuluCyprian Bhekuzulu Nyanga-ziwe, the grandson of Dinizulu--took the Scout Promise. onthe 4th September, 1965,before a gathering of thou-sands of Zulu Scouts at

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Kwakhetho-thandayO, the ZuluRoyal Kraal, near Nongomain Zululand. The 42-year-pld Paramount Chief of theIZulus, son of Chief Solomon,land grandson of the Chief

. Dinizulu, is himself servingboyhood, through Scouting.

\To mark the 12th World"Tamboree and the 60th)\nniversaryof Scouting, the0 oy Scouts of South Africa

'Thirdly, we don't mgoing to Gilwell tocharacters trained,

not having you nabout with 0:

- - -I. DIN'rZULU-, "- NECKLACE.

In 1888, when an expedition wa~ sent to Zululand, South"Africa,

it had to conterid with DINIZULU, KING of ,tha ZULUS - a clever, ~Bavily

built man, 6ft. 7ins. in height. On State. occasions, DinizullJ wore a

necklac8;9 about 12ft. in length. It consisted of' 'i,000 or. more lJOOcJ

beads strun~ on a raw-hide lace. The beads were df various sizes, some

up to 4ins. long, 8oma smaller. They were made of a South African

ye.llow '-.loadwhich ha:3 'a;soft pith, so that when the. bea'ds wene shaped,

this pith made a natural ~itch at the end of eac~ baad.~ - ~. ~ =- -=-= -=--'~ ~ ---=- ~-~- -,_.

, '~ --c;:=~=~~ ~'. - --'~ =.-

The bead necklace was a distinction conferred on Royalty and on

outs~anding warri6rs. Quring the h~stiliti~s that swe~t Natal and Zululan

the man who was to'become the Founder of the Scout Movemant-- then'

Captain Bade,n-Powe,ll-- gaIned pos'3ession of Dinizulus necklace and as, .

soldiers do,placed it amongs~ his souvenirs.

later, during th~ Siege of Mafeking, B.P. met:an elderly Africa~ who

queried his unusual cepression. The man took frollthis neck a leather thon:

and p laced it in B. P's hand and sa 1d, IILJ ear th is. 1'1y, mo th e r 9 a v e it ,- to

me for luck. Now it will bring you luck!!.

~~~ny .1'8ars~te~r 8. P. ha_d ~e~ Sc~outJ..!lgb,n 1907, ~e~lDstit~LI~~ ~- ~

Wood Badge Trai~ing fot Scouters in 1919, and this training got it's

name and it's emblem in the following way:-

Seeking a badge th~t highly trained Scouters could wear, B.P.

remembered the necklace and tha lucky leather thong. Taking two beads

from thE:)necklace and knotting them on the thong, he cr6ated the now

IJorld famous \.Jood Badge, to bg the only proficiency badge ~Iorn by Scouter~

He used the smaller beaos and the supply soon ran out. Replicas were

made of beech wood at Gilwell Park...""

These are now worn by tens of thousands of men and women around the~

world whop through taking to LJood""."HadQ,e--1ralnlng\j IlcI.VIOi 't::Lju.i.-P'PO~Lj -::';-,3r;1S"'~1:'o'~~...~

to serve boyhoej'ir:th"r':'i,nh ~coutina.