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John Dunn died on August 5, 1895, having married 49 wives and fathered 117 children. That seems a bit high, no? FunkyChicken! 14:28, August 3, 2005 (UTC)

Why don't you try a little research before editing the article ? Wizzy… ☎ 16:15, August 3, 2005 (UTC)

1. http://www.africa-ata.org/zulu.htm
2. http://zululand.kzn.org.za/zululand/about/111.html
3. http://www.smom-za.org/eshowe/phstemoy.htm
4. http://www.worldscene.org/south_africa_zulu_heritage.htm

Can you provide an actual reference, not virtual ones? FunkyChicken! 17:13, August 3, 2005 (UTC)

Not sure what you mean ? Is this any better ? He really did have a lot of children. I have met some of his descendants, slightly fairer stock than the average Zulu. Wizzy… ☎ 18:15, August 3, 2005 (UTC)

1. http://www.suntimes.co.za/2000/11/19/lifestyle/travel/travel03.htm

I can certainly provide actual references- Volume 5 of "British Settlers in Natal, South Africa; 1824 - 1857" by Shelagh O'Byrne Spencer [1989. Pietermaritzburg: University of Natal Press]

And of course, the fact that my mother is a Dunn, descended from Catherine Pierce, Dunn's nkosikazi [principal wife]. Grant McKenna 19:01, 18 October 2006 (UTC) reply

Sorry, but the article states that he married 49 + 1 wives and 48 wives. Assuming both claim to be the total, which one is correct? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 41.241.95.99 ( talk) 17:02, 6 September 2008 (UTC) Its thirteen months and the disconnect in the number of wives is still not resolved —Preceding unsigned comment added by Hanslune ( talk • contribs) 14:34, 31 October 2009 (UTC) reply

The difficulty as to the number of wives comes from the fact that a marriage in customary law [Zulu traditional law] is only completed upon the birth of a child, while in Western law it is the registration that makes it a marriage, and in ecclesiastical law it is the pronouncement by a cleric of the existence of a marriage that makes it a marriage. A separation due to infertility is rare, as the man wanting children usually takes another wife, and the woman being abandoned would keep the lobola [bride-price] if her husband left her. Nonetheless the Mkhize wife- and no, I don't know if her first name is recorded anywhere - was considered a wife by the clan. All this is original research ie what mom told me. Grant McKenna ( talk) 17:23, 30 March 2012 (UTC) reply

His grave is actually located on my dads family farm kwazulu natal. 2407:7000:933E:F300:CEA1:FA5:2A02:17E2 ( talk) 06:16, 12 March 2024 (UTC) reply