Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - Shi

Matt Splatt · 3rd November 2007, 08:38 PM

Hi Bill, congrats on the sword its a very nice one. As far as the black stuff on the blade goes I think it's old dried up fetish material. I don't know about the Hutu but I have read about the "magical" substances that many tribes apply to their weapons. I found an interesting tidbit that might apply in African Arms and Armour by Christopher Spring on page 91. "In some parts of Central Africa such as Rwanda it has been recorded (Bourgeois 1957) that in order to prevent herself from becoming pregnant before marriage, a young woman may supply a boy with some of her menstrual fluid to be applied to the blade of a spear. It is believed that this powerful combination of symbolic sterility will act as an effective contraceptive." I hope not to gross you out but I think if we are going to engage in the ethnographic study of these beautiful old arms it is important to take an unflinching look at aspects of their use that our societies might find gruesome.

3rd November 2007, 08:38 PM	#5
Matt Splatt Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 31	Hi Bill, congrats on the sword its a very nice one. As far as the black stuff on the blade goes I think it's old dried up fetish material. I don't know about the Hutu but I have read about the "magical" substances that many tribes apply to their weapons. I found an interesting tidbit that might apply in African Arms and Armour by Christopher Spring on page 91. "In some parts of Central Africa such as Rwanda it has been recorded (Bourgeois 1957) that in order to prevent herself from becoming pregnant before marriage, a young woman may supply a boy with some of her menstrual fluid to be applied to the blade of a spear. It is believed that this powerful combination of symbolic sterility will act as an effective contraceptive." I hope not to gross you out but I think if we are going to engage in the ethnographic study of these beautiful old arms it is important to take an unflinching look at aspects of their use that our societies might find gruesome.