Salampasu dagger, sword South Congo

[gp]

Date provided was 50ies-60ies but seller told me Africa was not his speciality...
he was told is was a Salampasu dagger, sword from the South of Congo

steel blade, wooden handle, scabbard wood with leather and rattan
total lenght 54,5 cm

Your thoughts ?

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by gp

Date provided was 50ies-60ies but seller told me Africa was not his speciality...
he was told is was a Salampasu dagger, sword from the South of Congo

steel blade, wooden handle, scabbard wood with leather and rattan
total lenght 54,5 cm

Your thoughts ?

Hi gp

The seller was correct it is Salampasu or Lwelwa see Panga na Visu page 213 plate 509 I am sorry but I can't help with the date

Regards

Miguel

[gp]

thank you very much ! I was able to find more info based upon your input :

it is indeed a Salampasu dagger; the Salampasu, who live south of the Lwalwa and the Mbagani and west of the Lulua River, once had a reputation as fierce warriors and headhunters.
The dagger / sword looks indeed like daggers / swords made between 1920 -1935.
Mine was brought to Europe in the 1950/60 by Belgian Society "the White Fathers" Missionaries for Africa. Actually I found the original picture of the lot containing several Salampasu daggers

[gp]

some more info for those interested...

From the Smithsonian:

More than an object for defense and attack, this short sword is an item of regalia, denoting status and membership in the hierarchical warriors' society of the Salampasu peoples.
The Salampasu consist of seven independent clans who live in the south-central portion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Short swords of this type were carried and brandished by masked dancers belonging to the warriors' society called mungongo, a governing institution that served to integrate young men into Salampasu society, to foster cooperation among communities when responding to outside threats and to monitor events and discourage violence at community gatherings such as public dances and funerals.
Wealthy warriors traditionally controlled material resources including iron-ore sources and raw and worked metal (knives and swords fell into this category), and they exercised authority over the blacksmiths who fashioned implements out of worked metal.
Sources indicate that in the early 1960s the Salampasu destroyed their masks and disbanded the mungongo in an effort to reinforce the authority of new chiefs who eschewed more traditional institutions and practices. However, recent research in 1989 documented that initiations and masked dances were still taking place.
The collector of this Salampasu sword, Emil Gorlia, served as a circuit court judge and later as a senior official of the Congo administration, finally becoming secretary general of the Ministry of Colonies. Between 1905 and 1927 he made six extended trips through southern Congo, particularly present-day Shaba province.

[Miguel]

Originally Posted by gp

some more info for those interested...

From the Smithsonian:

More than an object for defense and attack, this short sword is an item of regalia, denoting status and membership in the hierarchical warriors' society of the Salampasu peoples.
The Salampasu consist of seven independent clans who live in the south-central portion of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Short swords of this type were carried and brandished by masked dancers belonging to the warriors' society called mungongo, a governing institution that served to integrate young men into Salampasu society, to foster cooperation among communities when responding to outside threats and to monitor events and discourage violence at community gatherings such as public dances and funerals.
Wealthy warriors traditionally controlled material resources including iron-ore sources and raw and worked metal (knives and swords fell into this category), and they exercised authority over the blacksmiths who fashioned implements out of worked metal.
Sources indicate that in the early 1960s the Salampasu destroyed their masks and disbanded the mungongo in an effort to reinforce the authority of new chiefs who eschewed more traditional institutions and practices. However, recent research in 1989 documented that initiations and masked dances were still taking place.
The collector of this Salampasu sword, Emil Gorlia, served as a circuit court judge and later as a senior official of the Congo administration, finally becoming secretary general of the Ministry of Colonies. Between 1905 and 1927 he made six extended trips through southern Congo, particularly present-day Shaba province.

Glad to be of some help and thank you for posting the info on the Salampasu which I found most interesting.
Regards
Miguel

[Duccio]

Hi GP, your Salampasu's twin brother is in my house ...