Zenzele II ko Buharra

Zenzele II ko Buharra is the current chief of the Halta-Banu, the dominant tribe in Alkebu.

## Biography

Born 1713 AE to Nyasa IV ko Buharra and Ayanda ku Dadafi, Zenzele was a proud and talkative child, always competing for attention with his prodigious older brother. His father was busy convincing a contentious tribe to cooperate with colonists that many saw as invaders, and his mother died during childbirth. Thus, Zenzele had little oversight, and outside his expensive military education (Warfare) was left to himself.

He spent his childhood among the sons of military leaders, playing street games and brawling. It was here where he established himself as a master of *isukala*, a strategic outdoor game similar to capture the flag, save for that an “isukalo” would be elected on each side who served as the strategic leader as well as the “flag” for the other side to kidnap and bring back to their side. As a skillful isukalo, Zenzele learned strategy, communication, and leadership. (Warfare)

It was also here that he learned the three basic tenets of *Ikidiyalo*, the strict honor code of the Halta-Banu. One, no harm may be caused without provocation. Two, every misdeed and crime must be met with equal punishment. Three, the ultimate crime is to betray another’s trust. The second rule was often followed by dealing physical punishment, regardless of the nature of the crime, landing Zenzele in weekly street fights over minor squabbles. Zenzele quickly established himself as a threatening opponent, and by 14 he was quarreling with men twice his age (Dueling).

As a young adult, Zenzele grew more silent, preferring to use his physical stature and imposing stares to make his point. When he did speak he was eloquent, authoritative, and more than a little threatening (Intimidating).

It was during this time that Zenzele had his first major experience with the colonists. In a drinking shop in between the Bush Wars, Zenzele witnessed a Cyrenic military officer go on a tirade about the colonial right to the land of “uncivilized savages,” then proceed to knock over several shelves of the shop’s product. Zenzele judged that breaking the man’s legs would serve as equal punishment. Though the Cyrenic government never cracked down on native autonomy, Zenzele remained weary, believing he had seen the colonists’ true colors. The next few years, he gained influence as a major advocate of secession, believing that the Halta-Banu was best off alone.

With his son quickly becoming a powerful political rival, Nyasa IV gifted Zenzele a major coal mine, telling him that running it would teach him the value of industry, while hoping in secret that it would distract him from tribal politics. Zenzele thrust himself into his new role, expanding the mine, aggressively advertising to colonial businesses and countries, and nearly doubling efficiency (Business). With the new job, Zenzele caught a glimpse of what the coal was used for by the colonial government. Great airships that could rain fire on the land. Metal sea ships that could withstand lightning. He saw, at this point, that his tribe would quickly lose any fight with the colonists, and reluctantly shifted his position to that of weary cooperation.

Nyasa IV died before he could appreciate his son’s change of mind, sending his brother Shaka to be crowned as Shaka I ko Buharra of the Halta-Banu. Zenzele was appointed as a *yujaju*, in charge of interpreting the Halta-Banu’s complex and broad body of law, based in *Ikidiyalo*. Zenzele frequently spoke out against his brother, calling him a colonist in tribal clothing, more concerned for Cyren than Sangaan. While he maintained his position of reluctant cooperation, he argued that his brother’s attitude would eventually result in the complete subjugation of the Halta-Banu and the destruction of tribal values.

In 1740, the election of Daniel Krüger, who found popularity even in Sangaan, resulted in a loss of influence for Zenzele. Shaka I serving in Krüger’s cabinet, however, confirmed to many that he cared more for the colonists than his people. The official joining of the Halta-Banu and Cyren in 1744 left the country divided, with a sizable amount outraged. An extreme few went as far as saying that Shaka and his Council had broken the third law of *Ikidiyalo* by violating his people’s trust. The majority opinion, however, remained in favor of the decision. The same year, Shaka I stepped down to devote his time to his Krüger’s cabinet. Zenzele ascended to chiefdom and was crowned Zenzele II ko Buharra of the Halta-Banu. He did not challenge the joining between Sangaan and Cyren, but swore to his people that the Halta-Banu would not be made the lesser partner of the deal. Many colonist-friendly *yujaji*and tribal leaders questioned the legitimacy of Zenzele’s fear of colonial domination, often condemning it as paranoia.

Zenzele’s attitude towards domestic issues quickly became equally contentious. As *yujaju*, Zenzele showed himself to be staunchly conservative, placing high value on tribal tradition. As chief, however, his distrust of the colonists lead him to lean more towards the idea that rapid technological advancement and copying of colonial systems should be prioritized over tradition for the sake of survival. Zenzele continued to value tradition, but no longer as absolutely. This drew criticism from many of his own followers as well as many other so called “modernizers”, who believed his continued value of tradition was an unnecessary burden.

Near-universal praise, however, has been given to Zenzele’s aggressive attitude towards other tribes. Frequent raiding and insulting have made the other Alkeban tribes deeply unpopular in Sangaan. Zenzele’s position that they should join the Halta-Banu, whether peacefully or violently, appeals both to traditionalists, who dream of a new Banu empire, and modernizers, who believe expansion to be a natural step towards modernity.

In the spirit of his newfound wish to modernize the Halta-Banu, Zenzele has travelled to the World’s Fair to get a sense of new technology and hopefully recruit a few talented alchemists.

## Timeline

1713 - Born

1730 - Experience with Cyrenic officer

1734 - Gifted Coal Mine

1734 - Death of Nyasa IV, brother Shaka ascends to chiefdom

1737 - Appointed *yujaju*

1744 - Brother steps down, Zenzele ascends to chiefdom