Colonial magistrates claimed the Old Testament explained Zulu law and customs

Evidence

G. R. Peppercorne, the magistrate of Pafana Location, observed to the Native Affairs Commission that in fact the Zulus practiced a sort of ancient Judaism: “A general type of the customs and laws of the Ama-Zulu may be found in the early history of the Hebrews.” Peppercorne suggested that any European who wanted to understand Zulu customs had only to read the Old Testament. Zulu polygamy, marriage customs, even attitudes towards work were all described in the appropriate Biblical passage. — Ivan Davidson Kalmar, Derek Penslar, Orientalism and the Jews, 331

Categorization

• XREF: connects to: The Old Testament’s wilderness image authorized Protestant dominion over nature and land. — Carolyn Merchant, The Death of Nature: Women, Ecology,…, 555