Wahabbi Jambiya

Michael Blalock · 21st December 2008, 03:19 PM

Here is a page with photos of men dancing with what we call wahabbi jambiyas or Sabiki. Very long jambiyas, in fact. The photos are from Asir region, formally part of Yemen and taken by Saudi Arabia at the begining of the century.

http://www.galenfrysinger.com/flower...udi_arabia.htm

Emanuel · 21st December 2008, 03:37 PM

Interesting that they're holding the sabiki with the concave edge forward, no the convex. I wonder if they were used in this manner to strike.

Rick · 21st December 2008, 03:58 PM

It looks like an efficient way to use such a large weapon .
The way the Kukri is held comes to mind as a similar gripping style .
Also the weapon held as it is stabs quite efficiently .

This kirach in my collection is quite good at stabbing straight and true .

The backhanded cut from such a large kanjar would be nasty after a chop or stab .

Michael Blalock · 21st December 2008, 10:28 PM

Here is a video of a yemen battle charge, albeit staged for the camera. The jambiyas are all held in the same fashion as they are in the dances,(further in the video) with the concave edge forward. I never saw a sharp yemeni jambiya though and I would wager most of these warriors' jambiyas had blades made of welded sheet metal. If it really came to using the jambiya, there would most likely be no slicing, only stabbing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEzXLpwGPB0

dancing

kahnjar1 · 22nd December 2008, 03:18 AM

These particular Jambiya are called SABAK in the HIJAZ region and SABIKI in the ASIR region. The Wahhabis (after whom this particular type of Jambiya is popularly named) were just one of the many tribes who inhabit(ed) the Arabian Peninsula, and certainly were not the only tribes who used this type.
A few pics attached of these jambiya.

Emanuel · 22nd December 2008, 05:39 AM

Since I first read "sabiki" in Elgood I wondered about the root of this word. In Polish "sablje" means sword, and this word has been adopted in French and English as "sabre" and even Romanian as "sabie". Of course it could very well be coincidence, but I wonder...

Can anyone enlighten the roots of these two words?

Michael Blalock · 22nd December 2008, 01:08 PM

This is just speculation but;:

SBK is the root for foundry سبك
and masbak= Place of foundry مسبك

So maybe, sabiky = Of the foundry? سبكي
Though I did not find this in a dictionary.

Emanuel · 22nd December 2008, 03:49 PM

Thanks Micheal.

A bit of research on my part shows that the slavic word sablje comes from Hungarian "szablya" itself supposedly derived from the verb "szab" = to taylor.
Perhaps "tayloring" and metal casting have some connection?

One taylors garments to fit their user, as one taylors metal parts to fit an assembly and match its user.

A bit of a stretch, I know...

Lew · 22nd December 2008, 04:03 PM

Manolo

I think we are stretching it here with the Slavic translation for taylor?

Lew

Battara · 22nd December 2008, 04:47 PM

You guys sure are punny!

Lew · 3rd January 2009, 04:06 AM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfS3C...eature=related

Seems the Yemen men hold the dagger in the same manner. This may be a non threatening posture when held in this fashion for ceremonies?

Lew

spiral · 6th January 2009, 07:36 PM

I thought they were used the way they were drawn? Point forward?

A slash that way would leave a jagged & ugly wound on a mans face or body, Not good fun in a warmer bacterial climate not used to microstiching etc. perhaps?

I think stones mentions most Jambia fights are about slashing? but kidney stabs also used to cause fatalities? {Thats just from shaky memory so I may be mistaken or quoting something else?}

Spiral

Michael Blalock · 7th January 2009, 02:20 AM

Here is a video from arabic tv in which toward the end a fellow is threatening another person with his Jambiya. For show I'm sure but it is a downward stabing motion. Perhaps the grip used in dance is meant to look unthreatening.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dRMy9MmATE

Rick · 7th January 2009, 03:23 AM

I would guess the opposite .
Any cultural dance with weapons would be intended to enhance or reinforce the spirit and power of the people .

So maybe threatening ??

KuKulzA28 · 7th January 2009, 08:01 AM

Well, I dunno much, but the Jambiya looks like the Chilean corvo... and that was usually used with the concave side forward... you can find parallels in other forward curving blades like the kuku macan, ayda-katti, ginunting, sica, falx, etc. Just a thought.

21st December 2008, 03:19 PM	#1
Michael Blalock Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: dc Posts: 271	Wahabbi Jambiya Here is a page with photos of men dancing with what we call wahabbi jambiyas or Sabiki. Very long jambiyas, in fact. The photos are from Asir region, formally part of Yemen and taken by Saudi Arabia at the begining of the century. http://www.galenfrysinger.com/flower...udi_arabia.htm Attached Images

21st December 2008, 03:58 PM	#3
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,262	It looks like an efficient way to use such a large weapon . The way the Kukri is held comes to mind as a similar gripping style . Also the weapon held as it is stabs quite efficiently . This kirach in my collection is quite good at stabbing straight and true . The backhanded cut from such a large kanjar would be nasty after a chop or stab . Attached Images

21st December 2008, 10:28 PM	#4
Michael Blalock Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: dc Posts: 271	Here is a video of a yemen battle charge, albeit staged for the camera. The jambiyas are all held in the same fashion as they are in the dances,(further in the video) with the concave edge forward. I never saw a sharp yemeni jambiya though and I would wager most of these warriors' jambiyas had blades made of welded sheet metal. If it really came to using the jambiya, there would most likely be no slicing, only stabbing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEzXLpwGPB0 dancing Attached Images

22nd December 2008, 03:18 AM	#5
kahnjar1 Member Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: CHRISTCHURCH NEW ZEALAND Posts: 2,728	SABAK,SABIKI These particular Jambiya are called SABAK in the HIJAZ region and SABIKI in the ASIR region. The Wahhabis (after whom this particular type of Jambiya is popularly named) were just one of the many tribes who inhabit(ed) the Arabian Peninsula, and certainly were not the only tribes who used this type. A few pics attached of these jambiya. Attached Images

3rd January 2009, 04:06 AM	#11
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Jambiya dance in action http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfS3C...eature=related Seems the Yemen men hold the dagger in the same manner. This may be a non threatening posture when held in this fashion for ceremonies? Lew

21st December 2008, 03:37 PM	#2
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Interesting that they're holding the sabiki with the concave edge forward, no the convex. I wonder if they were used in this manner to strike.

22nd December 2008, 05:39 AM	#6
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Since I first read "sabiki" in Elgood I wondered about the root of this word. In Polish "sablje" means sword, and this word has been adopted in French and English as "sabre" and even Romanian as "sabie". Of course it could very well be coincidence, but I wonder... Can anyone enlighten the roots of these two words?

22nd December 2008, 01:08 PM	#7
Michael Blalock Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: dc Posts: 271	This is just speculation but;: SBK is the root for foundry سبك and masbak= Place of foundry مسبك So maybe, sabiky = Of the foundry? سبكي Though I did not find this in a dictionary.

22nd December 2008, 03:49 PM	#8
Emanuel Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Toronto, Canada Posts: 1,242	Thanks Micheal. A bit of research on my part shows that the slavic word sablje comes from Hungarian "szablya" itself supposedly derived from the verb "szab" = to taylor. Perhaps "tayloring" and metal casting have some connection? One taylors garments to fit their user, as one taylors metal parts to fit an assembly and match its user. A bit of a stretch, I know...

22nd December 2008, 04:03 PM	#9
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Manolo I think we are stretching it here with the Slavic translation for taylor? Lew

22nd December 2008, 04:47 PM	#10
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,139	You guys sure are punny!

6th January 2009, 07:36 PM	#12
spiral Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,712	I thought they were used the way they were drawn? Point forward? A slash that way would leave a jagged & ugly wound on a mans face or body, Not good fun in a warmer bacterial climate not used to microstiching etc. perhaps? I think stones mentions most Jambia fights are about slashing? but kidney stabs also used to cause fatalities? {Thats just from shaky memory so I may be mistaken or quoting something else?} Spiral

7th January 2009, 02:20 AM	#13
Michael Blalock Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: dc Posts: 271	Here is a video from arabic tv in which toward the end a fellow is threatening another person with his Jambiya. For show I'm sure but it is a downward stabing motion. Perhaps the grip used in dance is meant to look unthreatening. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4dRMy9MmATE

7th January 2009, 03:23 AM	#14
Rick Vikingsword Staff Join Date: Nov 2004 Posts: 6,262	I would guess the opposite . Any cultural dance with weapons would be intended to enhance or reinforce the spirit and power of the people . So maybe threatening ??

7th January 2009, 08:01 AM	#15
KuKulzA28 Member Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: between work and sleep Posts: 731	Well, I dunno much, but the Jambiya looks like the Chilean corvo... and that was usually used with the concave side forward... you can find parallels in other forward curving blades like the kuku macan, ayda-katti, ginunting, sica, falx, etc. Just a thought.