Tanzanian swagger/fighting stick?

katana · 27th July 2006, 10:13 PM

Thanks Tim,
very interesting info, I appreciate your explanation. I really should source litrature concerning African symbolism and iconography, it surely is a fascinating topic.

Freddy · 28th July 2006, 06:57 PM

Look what I found in the corner of my office : a stick !

I remember purchasing this one quite some time ago. I forgot about it. According to the seller it came from Africa. Could well be a stick from Rwanda, as can be seen from Spiral's article.

I wonder what the iconographic explanation of the grip of this piece is. After looking at it for some time, I can see the image of a person...? Or am I wrong ?

Anyway... the total length is 112,5 cm. At the bottom, a metal spike has been added (length : 24 cm) for sticking it into the ground.
For me, this stick is a bit too long to be an ordinary walking cane. I would rather call it a staff.

katana · 28th July 2006, 07:15 PM

Freddy,
do you think that there is a possibilty that this is one of a pair? I,m thinking that the spike would allow it to be driven into the ground easily. If you had two, one either side of an open fire you could have a cross piece ( a branch of a tree or pole) that fitted through the holes. You could then hang a cooking pot from it........ Interesting object....would obviously make a good defensive weapon.....could even use it to pick up litter

Many ethnic items seem to have many uses........wooden 'swiss army' knife with perhaps a number of functions...

Freddy · 28th July 2006, 07:32 PM

Would more be an 'African army knife', no ?

Here's another one which I showed acquired quite some time ago in a lot of African clubs. It came from ebay and the seller was convinced these were drum sticks (that's why I got them so cheap,

)

It's a club from the Gogo-tribe in Tansania. Here shown next to some 'ordinary' clubs.
The 'body' of this club is peculiar with the swelling. And I see a monkey's head when I look at the top part.

Tim Simmons · 4th August 2006, 06:26 PM

Freddy the spike on your stick if remarkably similar to the spike on this staff. Perhaps they are from neighbouring areas of central Africa/Congo.

Tim Simmons · 4th August 2006, 06:32 PM

I have been looking at the stick I started the thread with through a x10 loop. I have a feeling it is made from a horn. That would be a rather long horn. Can one test for horn? I will try get a picture of the structure.

Freddy · 4th August 2006, 08:35 PM

I have already seen a 'rungu' - that's the name of the club used by the Maasai - which was made of horn. By this, I mean rhino-horn.

It was a real beauty, but nothing I could afford

4th August 2006, 06:26 PM	#5
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,875	Freddy the spike on your stick if remarkably similar to the spike on this staff. Perhaps they are from neighbouring areas of central Africa/Congo. Attached Images

27th July 2006, 10:13 PM	#1
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Thanks Tim, very interesting info, I appreciate your explanation. I really should source litrature concerning African symbolism and iconography, it surely is a fascinating topic.

28th July 2006, 06:57 PM	#2
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Look what I found in the corner of my office : a stick ! I remember purchasing this one quite some time ago. I forgot about it. According to the seller it came from Africa. Could well be a stick from Rwanda, as can be seen from Spiral's article. I wonder what the iconographic explanation of the grip of this piece is. After looking at it for some time, I can see the image of a person...? Or am I wrong ? Anyway... the total length is 112,5 cm. At the bottom, a metal spike has been added (length : 24 cm) for sticking it into the ground. For me, this stick is a bit too long to be an ordinary walking cane. I would rather call it a staff.

28th July 2006, 07:15 PM	#3
katana Member Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Kent Posts: 2,658	Freddy, do you think that there is a possibilty that this is one of a pair? I,m thinking that the spike would allow it to be driven into the ground easily. If you had two, one either side of an open fire you could have a cross piece ( a branch of a tree or pole) that fitted through the holes. You could then hang a cooking pot from it........ Interesting object....would obviously make a good defensive weapon.....could even use it to pick up litter Many ethnic items seem to have many uses........wooden 'swiss army' knife with perhaps a number of functions...

28th July 2006, 07:32 PM	#4
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Would more be an 'African army knife', no ? Here's another one which I showed acquired quite some time ago in a lot of African clubs. It came from ebay and the seller was convinced these were drum sticks (that's why I got them so cheap, ) It's a club from the Gogo-tribe in Tansania. Here shown next to some 'ordinary' clubs. The 'body' of this club is peculiar with the swelling. And I see a monkey's head when I look at the top part.

4th August 2006, 06:32 PM	#6
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,875	I have been looking at the stick I started the thread with through a x10 loop. I have a feeling it is made from a horn. That would be a rather long horn. Can one test for horn? I will try get a picture of the structure.

4th August 2006, 08:35 PM	#7
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	I have already seen a 'rungu' - that's the name of the club used by the Maasai - which was made of horn. By this, I mean rhino-horn. It was a real beauty, but nothing I could afford