Noted in full Andrew. Thank you. Ive been doing my best...
iechyd da boyo Ibrahim!
To further help your reference search for the elusive quote from an unknown place,source or origin { perhaps by the respected researcher Ingrams or perhaps not...
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Namely.....
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi
Ingram is careful to point out that Omanis or Manga as they were known... only danced with the straight Omani dancing sword.
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.
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These screen below captures may help.
Despite the whole book not being available online from google books, a word search on the relevant reference page brings up the references, even for pages that are not officially available.
linky to the book of words.
Its a very useful tool, I found so anyway.
Fascinatingly the relevant song & dance chapters you citied are also complete! {Rather than having to use the internal word search function.}
{Its the 1931 edtion you original quoted before understandable uncertainty of your source set in.}
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi
Meanwhile the Omani Dancing Sword wrongly or mistakenly mis-reported down the ages from the early 18th C by the half dozen or so visitors to Oman continues to stretch the imagination unabated though hopefully with restraint and honourability amongst men... I repeat that at the start I was so taken in by the furore and warlike nature of the sword in its mimic fight that I too thought it was a fighting weapon. Having looked at hundreds of blades I have seen none that qualify as battle worthy. I have spoken to many many Omani people in and out of the Souk and examined blades there and in the Museums where I have seen no battle blades ... that is stuff blades ...moreover they are bendy to 90 degrees some less than others
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Have you considered that the fact in your imagination & that of your trader friends & associates in fake Omani swords that all fighting blades are rigid, could be wrong?.
Historically in many cultures this is wrong! A blow from a razor sharp 30 inch or whatever blade of thin whippy spring steel construction will cut you to the bone, slide down the bone & remove great hanging pieces of flesh & sinew , slicing arteries as it does so.
Highly efficient against tribesmen peasants & slaves, {not to mention women & children.
} {ref. page 144 in Ingrams excellent work..}wearing a thin dress of cotton at most.
That is a fact.
If you & your associates down at the dockside souks are unaware of it that's another thing. ...Have you contemplated that as possible Ibrahim? Perhaps a little wider research will help you there?
Skinny spring steels blades will strip you bare to the bone......If razor sharp of course...
Spiral