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Each image is a type of Panorama below we describe
( PAN ) The Panorama itself
( ANO ) Annotated with other Geographical Locations
( PHT ) Added with other Photo's / Maps / Sketches
( SOB ) Describing in detail a particular STAGE OF BATTLE
- SHIYANE ( PAN ) Oscarberg looking into Zululand
- SAINT AUGUSTINE ( ANO ) Showing Chief Sihayo Homstead
- BLACK'S COPPIE ( PHT ) Last Stands
- ITUSI ( SOB ) Showing Camp events during 9am to 12 noon 1879
Happened in the late 1970s when I first saw a television commercial advertising the oncoming showing of the epic movie ZULU, it caught my interest at the time being only a young teenager my viewing habits backthen - like many of us - were Cowboys and Indians movies, but this really seemed to catch my eye. Well ZULU was going to be on television on a Saturday night, and we had a family tradition to visit my Grandmother, so watching it was not possible, So I had an idea to record it on one of those old VHS tapes that look like a brick, the only issue with that we did not have a VHS recorder, so the only other option was to buy a VHS tape and get my aunt to record it, which they kindly did, but the only issue was they were visiting family as well so they decided to record it via the recorder's timer option. The only problem was for some unknown reason it did not record. About year later, we purchased our own VHS recorder, and finally I watched ZULU. I was transfixed as the the Zulu ibutho (regiments) appeared on the skyline and assembled in ranks displaying their regimental shield colours. I will never forgot the impact that first scene had on me, well within a week I must of viewed that movie over twenty times. That prompted me to visit my local Library - Glenroy Library - to learn more about the battle of Rorke's Drift, well the Zulu lost the battle, but little did I know If I watched the opening scene of the movie it would have showed a British force annihilated by these brave people, the AmaZulu, which translates to the People of the Heavens. This whetted my appetite no ends. I then started a library of my own purchasing any and all books covering the Zulu people, this continued for the next thirty years until 2010 when I noticed a website showing photos of the battlefields of the Zulu War. This prompted me with over thirty years of interest in Zululand and with the encouragement of my mother to visit Zululand In December 2011 I made my home base at Isandlwana Lodge, but before arriving I got in contact with Isandlwana Lodge's main guide, Robert Gerrard, and he in turn he directed me to Major Paul Naish, who would cater to my every need, and my list was very long.
MUM and I on our Hawaiian Holiday 2016
Major Paul Naish and Robert Gerrard Mome Gorge 2012
On Location "ZULU" 2019 { Gary Richardson }
Between 2011 and 2019 I travelled to KwaZulu-Natal four times, each time I used Major Naish as my main guide. In 2017 after viewing a YouTube video covering panoramic photography, I decided to upgrade my camera from the Sony A99 to the Nikon D850 and started to learn how to photograph panoramas. My first project was the Itusi hill at iSandlwana, little could I have known then what real importance did this location had on the day of the battle back in 1879. So from about 2017 I decided to construct a website which will showcase my panoramas. On my next visit to KwaZulu-Natal, which covered from late December 2018 to the end of January 2019. My purpose was to take photographic panoramas that covered the Battle of iSandlwana. As a consequence,iSandlwana and its environs became my first phase of what would become my ZULU ODYSSEY. After three weeks with Major Naish, I joined a tour hosted by the Zulu War author, Ian Knight. Ironically, I joined his tour at the location from where the film ZULU was made in the Drakensburg Mountains. I was witnessing in reality the landscape that had first inspired to embark on my quest - my ZULU ODYSSEY.
Ian Knights Anniversary Tour 2019
After my return from KwaZulu-Natal I decided to conduct my own studies into the enigma that shrouds the Battle of iSandlwana for the purposes of my website. Since my first visit Paul Naish promoted the theory offered by Ron Lock and Peter Quantrill in their paper "The Five Missing Hours". Their theory is based on a series of long-forgotten maps, which seemed to prove that the discovery of the concealed Zulu army took place much closer to the British encampment than had been previously thought. Other authors have speculated that the discovery took place in the Ngbweni Valley, however, I chose to question this assumption. I started collating the statements from the eyewitnesses and instead of answering my questions, I started to question long held beliefs. The statement that caused me the greatest angst came from two Natal Carbineers, Troopers Barker and Hawkins, who were assigned to vedette duty on the morning of Wednesday, 22nd January 1879. I probed their statements and sought advice from a number of people with knowledge relating to the events at iSandlwana. I never received an answer that satisfied my curiosity. One maintained it was on Qwabe hill. Whilst others stated it was on Itusi hill. Such is the mystery that shrouds the Battle of iSandlwana, and through my ZULU ODYSSEY I want to attempt to lift those veils.
The best Source book concerning eyewitness testimony for the battle of Isandlwana is WITNESSES AT ISANDLWANA by Neil Thornton and Michael Denigan. No other source book has attempted to cover as many testimonies as this work. So when testimony is quoted I will reference this book with page number from where you can find the testimony. I have based my version of events purely on the eyewitnesses of the day.
To my beloved Mother Marlene, who put up with my fanatical interest in the Zulu people, and for pushing me to pursue my first ZULU ADVENTURE.
To Retired Major Paul Naish, my main tour guide, my very best memories I shared with you on these tours.
Robert Gerrard who put me on to the Major and took us to many locations on my first tour
Endless thanks must go to John Young who helped me with answering my many questions concerning the battle of iSandlwana, and all other aspects of the Anglo-Zulu War. Without you John this project would not have been possible
To my other Tour Guides such as Ian Knight, Paul Marais, Brandyne Arendse.
To my Aunt Shirley who kindly recorded the movie Zulu for me for without doing it none of this would never have happened.
To my cousin Dean Jones, who directed me to take some courses for PHOTOSHOP to add the annotations on the panoramas to help me explain my story.
I have a long list of thanks to the following who helped me from the Zulu War Forum https://www.1879zuluwar.com/ especially Julian Whybra and Frank Allewell.
I will also need to thank many others who have provided me with images of the combatants, images of maps and the many books that helped me to draw my conclusions. To all of those who provided permission to use their material on this Website, and to those who might wish to contribute further images of any kind please email to zuluodyssey@outlook.com. For all those mentioned I will provide a 25% Discount on any of the two levels of membership for the full length of their membership.