Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

Freddy · 10th August 2006, 10:42 AM

Nice old piece, Lew.

Do you know this book : Tribal Arms Monographs Vol 1/n°2 (Execution knives & derivatives) by Christian Gosseau (Brussels, 1997). It gives a full account of all the variations within this series of Congolese knives.

I checked it and the author puts your sword in Group 3 produced by the LOBALA, NGABAKA and the BONDJO (name given to part of the NBBAKA people installed on the right bank of the Ubangi, in former French Equatorial Africa).

The name of these double knives is Bango or Bwagogambanza

Further he writes that these knives were used during initiations rites (Gaza) including the circumcision of young men and the excision of young girls. The candidates carry this as a ritual attribute during these ceremonies which take place every six of eight years.

10th August 2006, 10:42 AM	#2
Freddy Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Sint-Amandsberg (near Ghent, Belgium) Posts: 830	Nice old piece, Lew. Do you know this book : Tribal Arms Monographs Vol 1/n°2 (Execution knives & derivatives) by Christian Gosseau (Brussels, 1997). It gives a full account of all the variations within this series of Congolese knives. I checked it and the author puts your sword in Group 3 produced by the LOBALA, NGABAKA and the BONDJO (name given to part of the NBBAKA people installed on the right bank of the Ubangi, in former French Equatorial Africa). The name of these double knives is Bango or Bwagogambanza Further he writes that these knives were used during initiations rites (Gaza) including the circumcision of young men and the excision of young girls. The candidates carry this as a ritual attribute during these ceremonies which take place every six of eight years.