Thanks Conogre,
That opens up a second can of worms. Looking at that "spear," I'll admit that I wasn't sure whether the chisel end was strong enough to dig up yams. The blade was fine, but the socket... it depends on the soil. If the soil was hard clay, that spear was too wimpy. If it's sandy, then it would work fine.
However, one thing I think is fascinating (and contentious) is a simple question: is it a spear?
Assuming that the chisel end is functional, then basically it's a digging stick with a spear point on the butt end. That's from a functional perspective. I seriously doubt that they would have used the spear except as a threat, or in extreme self-defense.
From a symbolic point of view--I don't know the answer. There's some
anthropological literature about the Mikea , and perhaps an answer's there.
I agree that the categories get blurry. For instance, it looks like the "Mikea" are a caste as much as a separate tribe. They're the ones who forage in the forest, and all members of the "tribe" seem to have extensive familial links with the "tribes" in the area that farm and fish (that's from the bibliography I linked to above).
Fun stuff! (unless you're trying to produce a comprehensive categorization of African spears, that is
)
Fearn