Chief With Ears the Sunlight Shines Through
The lost history of John Dunn
by Susan Nind-Barrett

A Life Stranger Than Fiction

Written from a refreshingly new perspective, Chief with Ears the Sunlight Shines Through is the biography of an extraordinary man who could have walked straight out of the realms of fiction. A man whose life in the heart of Zululand as confidante of a Zulu King shaped both the Zulu nation's destiny and the course of colonial Britain.

From Obscurity to Power

Born into a fledgling settler society in South Africa, Dunn's life was not predestined by noble birth, education or wealth. His circumstances forced him into a life of survival — and later, of influence.

Orphaned young and destitute on the wild frontier, he rose from obscurity to international notoriety through his close relationship with King Cetshwayo. His political, economic and military role bridged two worlds, securing his place between British imperial supremacy and an independent Zulu kingdom 

Between Two Kingdoms

After years of neutrality between British and Zulu factions, the Anglo-Zulu War changed everything. Spoiling for war, the British forced political ultimatums upon Dunn and Cetshwayo — demanding that Dunn abandon his neutrality and choose between those he considered brothers on both sides.

A Life of Contradictions

Dunn's reputation grew with his legendary hunting excursions and lavish dinner parties. A charismatic raconteur, he welcomed guests with tales of peril and spectacle. British officials, senior military officers and aristocrats all sought invitations to his Zululand homestead.

Admired by many, condemned by some, and always controversial, John Dunn’s story spans love, war, family, betrayal and power. His life — and the lives entangled with his — unfolds in every chapter of Chief with Ears the Sunlight Shines Through.