Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Iain · 12th April 2012, 03:34 PM

Hi Gav,

I have often seen Hausa and Fulani with military sabres, I presume French and perhaps in the case of Cameroon German in origin. I've even seen a small sword carried by one fellow!

This is not really a case of abandoning traditional forms I think, in some of the regalia in the Hausa emirates there are foreign blades. If memory serves me correctly some Ottoman or Arab. So it's certainly not an exclusively new thing.

Since there never seemed to have been qualms in hilting up quality European blades it doesn't surprise me that if a good brass hilt happened along it would be put to good use.

Cheers,

Iain

EDIT: found a couple of the photos I meant:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/8107676...n/photostream/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/20086368@N06/2063180329/

12th April 2012, 03:34 PM	#14
Iain Member Join Date: Mar 2010 Location: Olomouc Posts: 1,680	Hi Gav, I have often seen Hausa and Fulani with military sabres, I presume French and perhaps in the case of Cameroon German in origin. I've even seen a small sword carried by one fellow! This is not really a case of abandoning traditional forms I think, in some of the regalia in the Hausa emirates there are foreign blades. If memory serves me correctly some Ottoman or Arab. So it's certainly not an exclusively new thing. Since there never seemed to have been qualms in hilting up quality European blades it doesn't surprise me that if a good brass hilt happened along it would be put to good use. Cheers, Iain EDIT: found a couple of the photos I meant: http://www.flickr.com/photos/8107676...n/photostream/ http://www.flickr.com/photos/20086368@N06/2063180329/