Zulu Walking Stick For Comment

Tim Simmons · 12th April 2009, 06:56 PM

Looks like you could fend off any nasty person with that point. Are you sure it is horn? not that I doubt you just that things can be hard to discern through a PC. The horn is solid? I believe antelope horns are hollow? solid horn would be far more rare. I am not an expert but to my mind this is East African like Milawi, Mozambique or Tanzania. The carving to the back of the head and other aspects of the face can be seen in carving from these areas today. Frequently seen in charity shops, car boot sales and new items at so called "CRAFT" markets.
Your piece does not strike me as tourist or "art market" work, however I do feel it is modern in the sence I feel sure it is post 1918 possibly quite a bit latter. The carrying of sticks as a social marker as well as a possible defensive weapon was comman in parts of East Africa untill quite recently and no doubt still is today in the most rural areas. Interestingly my new neighbour who I was talking to this very afternoon is from Guinea. I showed him some of my sticks. He went on to say that in his region traditionally the eldest son of a family would be marked by carring a stick. There is a good we site on prestige sticks in East Africa. I will try and find it again and this time bookmark it.

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12th April 2009, 06:56 PM	#10
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,844	Looks like you could fend off any nasty person with that point. Are you sure it is horn? not that I doubt you just that things can be hard to discern through a PC. The horn is solid? I believe antelope horns are hollow? solid horn would be far more rare. I am not an expert but to my mind this is East African like Milawi, Mozambique or Tanzania. The carving to the back of the head and other aspects of the face can be seen in carving from these areas today. Frequently seen in charity shops, car boot sales and new items at so called "CRAFT" markets. Your piece does not strike me as tourist or "art market" work, however I do feel it is modern in the sence I feel sure it is post 1918 possibly quite a bit latter. The carrying of sticks as a social marker as well as a possible defensive weapon was comman in parts of East Africa untill quite recently and no doubt still is today in the most rural areas. Interestingly my new neighbour who I was talking to this very afternoon is from Guinea. I showed him some of my sticks. He went on to say that in his region traditionally the eldest son of a family would be marked by carring a stick. There is a good we site on prestige sticks in East Africa. I will try and find it again and this time bookmark it.