Zulu weapons

[HARRY THE MOLE]

I wasn't really sure where to put this post. But as one of the items is bladed, and they are all weapons for fighting at close quarters, I thought they might fit in here.

The spear is a bit of an oddity. The blade matches the type you would find on an 'iklwa.' But the shaft is more to the length of a throwing spear. The iklwa is a short length spear which was used as a thrusting weapon by the Zulu's to such deadly effect in the wars of 1879.

The length of the blade is 12 inches, and width is 2 inches. Total length of the weapon is 53inches. The balance of the weapon is absolutely perfect. The war club (knobkerry) is just over 28 inches, and the carved head is almost 3 inches wide.

The shield is of a type which was used for every day protection and also when engaging in stick-fighting. At 24 inches in length it is much smaller than the war shield. All three items show considerable age. And I don't think any are tourist junk. If anyone could shed further light on the spear I would be very grateful.

[Gunny Hartmann]

Great items Steve!....

[HARRY THE MOLE]

Hi Gunny,

Anther two spears should arrive tomorrow. Both are supposed to be 19th century Zulu.

Have a look at my signature. My daughter got the website up and running for the book last Sunday. Publication has been put back to about April. The MoD are being a bit 'difficult' about some of the contents.

[Gunny Hartmann]

I'm looking foreward to reading it mate!...

[Jerry B]

Look good, though I thought colonial period African spears used a short socket which fitted to a long metal sleeve on the wooden shaft? Or maybe that is a different tribe or an earlier period perhaps. The shield is very good condition for its age.

[Danmark]

Nice Zulu gear but damn, now I cant get "Men of Harlech" out of my head!!!!!!!

[Jerry B]

Some African spears etc for sale here.

African Weapons, Spears, Clubs, Knives, Authentic, Traditional - R & R Traders

[Jerry B]

Here is my African Colonial period spearhead, though no idea on the exact date or region/tribe it is from.

[big ned]

Hi Steve,

These items are notoriously difficult to pin down to a time frame and often even tribe. The shield is in my opinion likely a tourist piece, especially if it is only 24" long as that is still too small for a umbumaluza (small fighting shield). It's markings are interesting in that it represents the elite iNdlu-yengwe Ibutho (married men's regiment) who performed the initial charge at Rorke's Drift veering to the right to form the right 'horn' of the famous 'Buffalo' formation.

The spear is hard to pin down as well, it could be Nigerian or Congolese, besides being Zulu, although I would guess personally that it is from the Southern African region because it appears to have copper wire bound around the shaft just behind the haft. Southern tribes were known for tearing down the new telegraph lines and using the wire for this kind of thing, it's almost a trademark of a genuine spear from that area. It has to be realised as well that these spears were made and used daily for hunting etc. until the 1950's and it's very hard if not impossible to date them, although the head could be very old and handed down through families whilst the shaft has been renewed many times, as is to be expected.

You may already know, but the Zulu name for the spear 'iklwa' (besides asagi and maasai which are used by other S.A. tribes as well) comes from the sound the spear makes as it is withdrawn from a body!

I can't comment on the knobkerrie other than it looks good, but I don't know much about them.

Regards, Ned.

[big ned]

Here is my African Colonial period spearhead, though no idea on the exact date or region/tribe it is from.

Hi Jerry,

I'm pretty sure the spear you've got is a Ngbandi tribal spear from the North Western region of the Congo (or is it Zaire, or has it gone back to Congo?) again, hard to pin down a date.

Regards, Ned.