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View Full Version : African(?) Paddle/Spoon with Knife?


CourseEight
26th April 2010, 01:59 AM
Another oddity I got a while ago. OAL 35". Wooden with a small, sharp but crudely made knife in the end of it. The "ferrule" looks to be made from an old tin/aluminium can. My questions are: Is ths indeed African? It isn't hollowed out like a spoon; is it a paddle of some kind? Is it for local use or touristic? As always, any advice is appreciated!

--Radleigh

Martin Lubojacky
26th April 2010, 09:38 AM
Hello,
I am of the opinion it is of African origin, not made for tourists and (despite aluminium) not very contemporary (I would say it could be even 30 - 40 years old) - and also it is not tribal item. In some African countries (e.g. Ethiopia) chiefs/leaders of various armed groups (either regular or irregular, also private guardians etc.) used to wear such half meter long sticks with secret knife as a supplement of clothes and sign of certain supremacy.But te form of paddle I can see for the first time (by the way, it

Martin Lubojacky
26th April 2010, 09:41 AM
sorry for interruption
....evokes certain form of horse-riderīs switch.
Regards,
Martin

CourseEight
27th April 2010, 11:28 PM
Thanks a lot for the info! Any idea what the marking may mean?

Martin Lubojacky
28th April 2010, 09:06 AM
I am afraid this will nobody know exactly - it is private marking, it could be anything - from ordinary K to amharic letter "soft" S