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How to Identify an Assegai from Quite a Long Way Away
Sawubona


Joined: 09 Nov 2005
Posts: 1179
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"Number One-- the Larch". The Monty Python reference of the title aside (absolutely in tribute, mind you), I think it's time we reached a consensus on what exactly an "assegai" is and how one can be recognized. It goes without saying that "consensus" isn't at all common hereabouts, but that's often a good thing.

Some of us have a few of these "bloody spears" , I'm sure that some of us have quite a few them, but I'm sure a lot of both visitors and denizens wouldn't mind finding a proper one but don't know quite what to look for. So I'll start off with how I understand them and those more savvy than moi can elaborate or correct:

1: "Assegai" is actually an Arabic word used generically (and wrongly) by Victorian British for a Zulu warrior's weapon of offense -- his arme blanche. Among the more correct Zulu terms are "Iklwa" for a short stabbing spear and "IziJula" for a longer throwing spear. I have trouble with singulars and plurals in Zulu. Aren't there something like seven different Zulu words for spears depending on their intention?
2: ALL Zulu spears lack a socket on the spearhead with which to afix it to the wooden haft. Rather they have a pointed tang which is heated in a primitive furnace and burned directly into the haft. If it's got a socket, it ain't Zulu. Anyone want to guess how many Masai "lion spears" I've seen being sold as "authentic Zulu assegai"?
3: An Iklwa (the stabbing spear) is ABSOLUTELY no longer overall than 40 or so inches. If it's much longer than 40 inches, it simply ain't a "stabbing spear". These 60 inch things for sale on the likes of Ebay might well be Zulu, they might well be combat weapons, but they're just NOT stabbing spears! They're intended to be thrown and are balanced as such with an smaller blade and a longer "stem" and shaft. And the blade of an Iklwa ends within an inch of the haft-- there's very little round iron shaft visible between the blade and its wooden handle.
4: The wooden shaft (haft) of an iklwa typically flares wider at the butt, some more than others. I've got a 37 inch one that's obviously a shortened throwing spear and therefore doesn't have any flair-- a period stabbing spear wanna-be. In place of any flaring of the wood there is about three inches of copper/nickel winding, presumably serving the save function as the flair. An interesting item that one, as the binding for the business end is copper/nickle winding over a shrunken cowtail. No doubt it has been field modified for another purpose.
5: I did see an assegai for sale in the north of Zululand with more than just a straightforward, businesslike blade, but I'd still be suspicious of anything offered sporting a barbed, a hooked, or a serrated blade. Was what I saw perhaps a Zulu status spear or even something Swazi? Parenthetically, I sadly regret not having bought that one-- beautiful it was.
6: Bindings? Is seen Ilala palm fiber, copper wire, copper and nickle wire, woven leather strips and shrunken cow tail, but I've no idea what vintage each is, what was personal preference of the maker, or what is simply representative of regional tradition. Whatever the material however (other than the hollowed cowtail of course) , its application showcases the typical Zulu weaving art
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How to Identify an Assegai from Quite a Long Way Away
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