Shaka Zulu was a Southern African warrior leader who became king and rebuilt the Zulu kingdom. 

“Shaka is often said to have been dissatisfied with the long throwing assegai, and is credited with having introduced a new variant of the weapon: the iklwa, a short stabbing spear with a long, broad, and sword-like, spearhead”

Before his time, the Zulu military relied on long arrows or their local form of spear called ‘assegai’ as their basic military tactics. However, Shaka Zulu didn’t believe in it’s efficacy for hand to hand combat situations. It is noted that he united some warring clans in other to fight off bigger enemies like the Ndwandwe.

However, when there was relative peace in the Zulu kingdom, King Shaka has been described to be very open to receiving foreigners into the kingdom, also allowing them to trade with the locals or even settle among them.

It was on such occasion that a European Missionary was noted to have told King Shaka Zulu the following – 

Missionary: “If you do not convert to Christianity, you will go to hell and burn in eternal fire”

Shaka Zulu replied – “Around here we eat fire!”