Zulu Assegai descriptions

[The Double D]

Assegai terminology:

• umKhonto: Assegai

• UmTonga: Metal Smith who made the blades

• isiTando: The smithy

• iNyanga yokuPisela: Assegai maker. He makes gets the blades from umTonga and makes the umkhonto.

• uTi: Wooden shaft

• ukuDla: Assagai blades

• ukuGwaza: Stabbing spears

• ukuCiba: Hurling or throwing spears

• ukuPisela: Inserting iron blade

• isiPiselo: Boring tool that is heated to make the hole in the shaft for the blade tang

• isiDunui: The widened spear head

• umSuku: Pointed shank or tang of blade

• umHlandla: Ridge or spine of blade

• ubuKali: Sharpened edge

• iLomo: The mouth of the deep vertical hole bored in the shaft for the tang.

• iNgcino: Plant who’s root is used to make the glue used to hold the blade in place

• isiSanto: The bark from this plant was used to bind the shaft over the bored end of the shaft.

• iNkulati: Tip of a cows tail that was slipped over the isiSanto when it is still wet ands supple and allowed to dry in place

• iNtana: Vine used to bind with out iNkulati

From. A.T. Bryant, The Zulu people, as they were before the White Man came