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Old 22nd May 2011, 06:23 PM   #36
kahnjar1
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Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi
Salaams, No not at all Mendingo; The sword at #21 carried by the great slave trader Tippu Tip and photographed in the 1860s is a long Kattara hilt on what some people may call a curved kattara but which is also called a Sayf in Oman. Although we cannot see the blade it can be seen that the scabbard is curved and that it has rings so that it can be slung in the low mount thus favoured by VIPs even then as a badge of office. I can see the hole in the pommel on photo one at # 21.

What I suggest is that perhaps :

1.Such was the influence of Oman in the east of Africa that some effect may have occured to sway the design of African swords e.g. from the Omani Kattara hilt to the Mendingo hilt. This is based on the slave trade control by Omani traders over huge swathes of Africa etc.

2. The African hilt "at some point" swayed the design of the kattara Omani hilt ~ something I find difficult to believe.

3. That there was no influence from anywhere on the Omani Kattara design and the Omanis dreamed up the design of hilt, blade and buckler plus the war dance "The Razha" independently.

I have to say that I am sold so far on point 3 but I am open to ideas !

On the point of colonial power; it is true that European influence did inspire a lot of African swords however not many of, for example, the typical swords of Ethiopia imported from Germany, appeared in Oman because they were rigid and pointed... The Omanis used, were brought up with and favoured the Kattara system. Luckhouse and Gunter straight german blades were useless with a Buckler and even cut back would not have found much use perhaps as ships swords opposed to the shaska style also adopted in Oman... not in Oman anyway. In Ethiopia however the full length import was ~ superb!
I have two Luckhouse and Gunters mounted on Tulvar handles but Ive seen no Omani variants yet !!

Regards,
Ibrahiim Al Balooshi.

p.s. The chap wearing the Khanjar and sword is Sultan Barghash of Zanzibar. Yes that khanjar is the family traditional "Al Bu Saidi".
..........so taking your Point #1 above....it IS possible then that ARCHERS sword IS a Kattara??
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