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Originally Posted by laEspadaAncha
Zanzibari slave traders extended their reach well into equatorial Africa. The notorious slaver Hamed bin Muhammad, a.k.a., Tippu Tib, was appointed governor of the Stanley Falls district of the Congo Free State (by King Leopold II) in the late 19th century, which positioned him on the navigable Congo River. While the territory from which he captured slaves ranged primarily south of the Congo (well into Central Africa, around the 8th parallel south), merchant trade from downriver was the bloodline of all upriver communities. It was up the mouth of the Congo by which Stanley transversed Africa in his 'rescue' of Emin Pasha in 1887. Tippu Tib accompanied him on this particular voyage, which in fact originated in Zanzibar.
Tippu Tib:
In the map attached below, the inner circle is the approximate location of Stanley Falls, while the ellipse (roughly) represents the area over which Tippu Tib poached ivory and captured slaves. |
Salaams laEspadaAncha; Tippu Tip controlled over 2 million square miles of territory.. He was, however, a latecomer to the scene regarding the curved weapon; The Omani Kattara he is seen wearing.. I put the transission of that hilt onto straight Omani Danciing Swords earlier more likely with his grand father or great grandfather (or in their time)... and in about 1744 at the the start of the new dynasty. As for the actual play in developing the hilt I am not at all sure if it was influenced by... other African variants... but the Manding hilt makes sense.
Regards,
Ibrahiim al Balooshi.
Notes; see also
1. Kattara for comments
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...ttara+comments
2.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showth...=Omani+Kattara
3.
http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=16795