Women wielding swords/daggers/bows in the past

[Jeff D]

Well the question was wielding weapons. It may not always have been for war or violence. Other reasons were ceremony, art, dancing or the erotic. Here is a post card from Algeria.

Jeff

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by Jeff D

Well the question was wielding weapons. It may not always have been for war or violence. Other reasons were ceremony, art, dancing or the erotic. Here is a post card from Algeria.

That's an interesting photo, Jeff.

I wonder what the message of the symbolisms are -- we have a young lady who seems to be lactating mother, and who is either pregnant again or had just delivered one, and then she's holding that ceremonial sword.

Moving to another location, here's an account describing an Igorot "amazon priestess":

"On the 25th [June 1747], Don Cuarto began the attack, but was soon put out of action himself by two rocks which struck him in the head. Apparently directing the defense forces was a sort of amazon priestess in their midst, naked to the waist, who kept inciting the Ipituys to fever pitch with her shouts and taunting the enemy with her invective and challenging them to shoot her, and although she was a frequent target, no ball found its mark -- a circumstance analyzed in the friar report of the battle as a sure sign of direct covenant with the Devil. The Igorots fought with such fury and war cries they literally foamed at the mouth, causing their enemies to suspect they had chewed some narcotic root to provide a suicidal intoxication."

The account was taken from WH Scott's The Discovery of the Igorots: Spanish Contacts with the Pagans of Northern Luzon (1974).

[Jeff D]

Originally Posted by migueldiaz

That's an interesting photo, Jeff.

I wonder what the message of the symbolisms are -- we have a young lady who seems to be lactating mother, and who is either pregnant again or had just delivered one, and then she's holding that ceremonial sword.

Yikes! miqueldiaz,

I think it was meant to symbolize what it says, 'The saber dance' . I think her physic is only what is/was thought to be erotic. This is one more answer for the original question asked; "What kinda weapons(edged) could women be allowed and would wield in the past and in what cultures?"

All the best.
Jeff

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by Jeff D

I think it was meant to symbolize what it says, 'The saber dance' . I think her physic is only what is/was thought to be erotic. This is one more answer for the original question asked; "What kinda weapons(edged) could women be allowed and would wield in the past and in what cultures?"

Thanks for the comment Jeff

Before I posted that earlier comment of mine, I was reading this earlier post, which said:

"In some tribes of Africa, smiths are outcasts that live outside the village. They are uncircumcised, therefore they posses both the masculine and the feminine, symbolically having the entirety which confers them, as in the Congo culture, the necessary protection to work iron, a product of Mother Earth's womb extraction."

And then I saw the pic you posted. So for a moment, it crossed my mind that perhaps the photographer was constructing a metaphor. Something like this and please hold on tight! --

Mother Earth's womb and breast can yield both nourishment and destruction (or raw materials therefor ... e.g., metal ore which can be made into a scalpel or a sword, etc.). Now the lactating and/or pregnant girl in the photo symbolizes the thought, and the ceremonial sword sort of provides the link to the parallelism.

Then again I may be reading too much between the lines. Or perhaps it's the effect of the new herbal tea somebody gave me last Christmas?

Ok, I think too it's both!

[Jeff D]

Hi migueldiaz,

Thats the beauty of interpretation one is just as valid as another. Now were can I get some of that tea . Jeff

[Jeff D]

Here is another. Same idea in China.

Jeff

[celtan]

same idea today, in the good ol'US of A

[migueldiaz]

Originally Posted by Jeff D

Thats the beauty of interpretation one is just as valid as another. Now were can I get some of that tea

Hi Jeff,

The tea's packaging says the herbs used contain traces of lysergic acid diethylamide. I wonder what sort of chemical is that?! Ok, just kidding!

Best regards ...

[VANDOO]

TRADITIONAL WEAPONS OF WOMEN IN AMERICA AND A FRENCH VERSION THEY COME IN DIFFERENT SIZES ACCORDING TO THE PREFRENCE OF THE WARRIOR. WHILE THESE CAN BE THROWN ACURATELY THEY ARE USUALLY USED TO BONK THE HUSBAND ON THE HEAD.

[celtan]

Alternatively, she may 1. suffer from intestinal worms which have distended her peritoneum and bowels, 2. is fat, which was considered attractive in North Africa, and/or 3. the saber represents the surgical blade used to make partum episiotomies...

Originally Posted by migueldiaz

That's an interesting photo, Jeff.

I wonder what the message of the symbolisms are -- we have a young lady who seems to be lactating mother, and who is either pregnant again or had just delivered one, and then she's holding that ceremonial sword.

Moving to another location, here's an account describing an Igorot "amazon priestess":

"On the 25th [June 1747], Don Cuarto began the attack, but was soon put out of action himself by two rocks which struck him in the head. Apparently directing the defense forces was a sort of amazon priestess in their midst, naked to the waist, who kept inciting the Ipituys to fever pitch with her shouts and taunting the enemy with her invective and challenging them to shoot her, and although she was a frequent target, no ball found its mark -- a circumstance analyzed in the friar report of the battle as a sure sign of direct covenant with the Devil. The Igorots fought with such fury and war cries they literally foamed at the mouth, causing their enemies to suspect they had chewed some narcotic root to provide a suicidal intoxication."

The account was taken from WH Scott's The Discovery of the Igorots: Spanish Contacts with the Pagans of Northern Luzon (1974).

[celtan]

I have shot the Spanish M 1752 fusil, very similar to the M 1728, and it is reasonably accurate and reliable.

Most probably they didn't even shoot at her, the spanish are inured from birth to women shouting abuse at us, throwing dishes etc...It's almost a church-sanctioned way of showing affection...

I still remember the beating I got in Galicia when I was 10 yrs. old, from a 11 yo blonde, blue eyed celtic she-devil, just out of a whim...

In WWII, a couple of my grand-uncles served in the Wehrmacht in Russia. They were supplied methamphetamine-laced chocolate while at the frontline, which made them alert, aggressive and "roaring to go"...

M

Originally Posted by migueldiaz

That's an interesting photo, Jeff.

I wonder what the message of the symbolisms are -- we have a young lady who seems to be lactating mother, and who is either pregnant again or had just delivered one, and then she's holding that ceremonial sword.

Moving to another location, here's an account describing an Igorot "amazon priestess":

"On the 25th [June 1747], Don Cuarto began the attack, but was soon put out of action himself by two rocks which struck him in the head. Apparently directing the defense forces was a sort of amazon priestess in their midst, naked to the waist, who kept inciting the Ipituys to fever pitch with her shouts and taunting the enemy with her invective and challenging them to shoot her, and although she was a frequent target, no ball found its mark -- a circumstance analyzed in the friar report of the battle as a sure sign of direct covenant with the Devil. The Igorots fought with such fury and war cries they literally foamed at the mouth, causing their enemies to suspect they had chewed some narcotic root to provide a suicidal intoxication."

The account was taken from WH Scott's The Discovery of the Igorots: Spanish Contacts with the Pagans of Northern Luzon (1974).

[Gavin Nugent]

I couldn't help but raise this ole thread again after reading these links this morning;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tomyris

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nine_Wo...emale_Worthies

Enjoy the read.

Gav

[laEspadaAncha]

Long live the necroposter! Thanks for dredging the forum to find this one, Gav... The thread might be two and a half years old, but it's new to me.

Anyway, as I didn't see this she-biscuit mentioned elsewhere in the thread, here is my wife's own "historical heroine," if you will, Jhansi Ki Rani:

[aiontay]

Even today Kiowa women, when dressed in traditional dress, have a knife sheath on their belt. These days the sheath is empty as often as not, but back in the old days it wasn't. Knives obviously were mainly tools, but women also carried them for defense, and sometimes offense as well. If a grandmother thought her grand daughter was being mistreated by her husband, he might end up getting cut by his wife's grandmother.

[Atlantia]

Originally Posted by aiontay

Even today Kiowa women, when dressed in traditional dress, have a knife sheath on their belt. These days the sheath is empty as often as not, but back in the old days it wasn't. Knives obviously were mainly tools, but women also carried them for defense, and sometimes offense as well. If a grandmother thought her grand daughter was being mistreated by her husband, he might end up getting cut by his wife's grandmother.

I think that's an interesting point.
There is a HUGE cultural gulf in the attitudes towards knives and weapons use by women.

I've never met an English girl who had anything more than a passing appreciation of edged weapons and most don't like them at all.
As my lovely mrs occasionally reminds me "it's a boy thing really".

By contrast.... (and I know a single example is hardly a fair sample) a friend of mine is originally from the Phillipines and whenever her and her other half come over for a visit, she is absolutely enthralled by my weapons collection.
She loves small daggers and conealable weapons, she likes swords and happily inspects any new additons with a definate glint in her eye (making her partner most uncomfortable!).
She gleefully regales us with tales of her years in Manilla and the different knives she carried, her favourite sword that she kept in the bar she owned, how she would chase trouble makers out with it etc.
She's quite a character!

Doesn't seem too familiar with the diverse Phillipine types and isn't any help in identifications.
But a completely different view on weapons from western gal's for sure!

Gene

P.S.
Things my other half says on the subject of my weapons:
When I show her a new acquisition:

"I don't want to hold it, it looks dirty"

*sniff* "I don't want to touch it, it'll make my hands smell like pennies"

(on the subject of a new Kukri) "hmm, you've seen one, you've kind of seen them all haven't you?"