Both an advantage and diadvantage of knowing only one zebra is that we can only guess at how typical she is of them in general. This applies to her rhyming and the thing on her flank - she's the only non-pony seen with anything like it. I have my own opinion, but I'd like to know what you think too.

Not really, since "existing" and "not existing" are fairly different modes of operation. Twilight said it herself in The Fault in Our Cutie Marks - she's never heard of any creature besides a pony getting one. (Well technically that she's never read about it, but even before Zecora she seemed generally aware of zebras so I figure she'd know.)

And yes, I am aware that if these lines didn't support my existing headcanon I'd have found some way to dismiss them. But I've had to do that often enough that when the show hands me a gong, I'm going to ring it.

So then what's that thing on Zecora's haunch, you say? Well obviously either a tattoo or some other form of body art. I'm not sure if it's a zebra thing, a shaman thing, a zebra shaman thing or just a Zecora thing, but I do know it has several different and deliberate meanings, two of which are courage and the Sun. (The latter indicates that either she, her family and/or her shamanic order may either worship or demonise Celestia; have they ever met onscreen?)

39. Do zebra cutie marks work the same way as pony cutie marks?
No, in the case of zebras it really is a butt tattoo.

I'm in the "no" camp. Zecora's mark is not only probably a tattoo, but not even something considered necessary by her culture (assuming she has one). She most likely gave it to herself in an attempt to fit in with ponies better.

Zebras do not have cutie marks; they have paint. Cutiemarks are a spiritual response to a calling to do for the world that which is most in line with one's own desires. Zebras are more selfish in how they see the world; they do what they want to do. It's not that they are not helpful, but helping others is more like the thing they do because they have been helped in finding their own path. They do not seek to give significantly more than they have been given, and they don't see this as a matter of selfishness and charity, but as a matter of utility.

7039510
So zebras repay what they were payed to the next generation? interesting.

7039534
Zebras give knowledge to those who ask it of them to the extent that they feel it has been given to them as a biological response. They don't feel pride when someone comes to them for help. They don't feel ownership over their student's success or failure. They just teach because someone has come to them. They don't think about this very much, and even if you brought it to their attention, they would not see it as having any real world impact. This is because creatures in Equestria are animals first and all other things after. Humans often assume that the ability to speak automatically assumes the ability to reason and curb impulses, but in Equestria, speech is first a biological tool.

If you go back and look at when Zecora first showed up, she is very matter of fact about what she says and when she is told why ponies were treating her the way they were, she didn't show any signs of being offended about it, because she doesn't process information in the same way humans do and she doesn't even process information the same way ponies do.

7039687
Hmm... something about this kind of concept unsettles me, perhaps especially when applied to Zecora. I admit she's something of a plot device, but just because the show doesn't examine her inner life doesn't mean she doesn't have one.

I'm not surprised to see that the majority is in the 'that's not a cutie mark, it's butt paint!'-camp. I'm part of it as well. I think it's a ritualistic tattoo given to her - by her teacher, most likely - when she 'graduated' and became a full-fledged shaman herself.