Because the ancestors of a substantial fraction of the West Indies' population came from Africa, and the West Indies were a British possession, does it not seem most logical to think this machete came from the West Indies? This would explain the apparent African motifs as well as why an English machete came to have this hilt.
Furthermore, we know of several examples of fist-hilted Mole machete blades of the same shape that came from the W.I. and wore similar leather sheaths. While more complicated explanations are always possible, a W.I. origin seems the simplest and most compelling to me.
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