Hi Ron,
Too much work ...
The reason could be that time of big giles is over. Now you cannot see Afars and Kereyus freely and daily wearing this big daggers like 25 years ago. I donīt think that everything was sold to the shops for tourists in Addis (because of the shortage of money in the countryside). But wearing the big ones ... it is maybe forbidden now (but I am not sure), and not practical in modern times. Before they also did not wear bowie or normal style daggers, now they do (though in nice native sheaths). I think this small gile is not old, it was meant more or less as utility knife - and it was made under all this new circumstances
Best,
Martin
|