Masai walking stick spear?

RomaRana · 13th July 2007, 06:17 PM

It is a fimbo. The fimbo is a Swahili term for a cattle herding stick and they are generally used all over East Africa. Carved artistic ones are used as walking sticks by elders and as impromptu weapons during council meetings.

The use of walking sticks has declined during the modern age but they are still used in many ceremonial functions. These new fimbos are known as vifimbo or staffs, they are part of the uniform of officers of the Tanzanian armed forces.

Presidents Nyerere of Tanzania and Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya almost always have one in sight during addresses.

It does indeed look like a carving of a Maasai woman although the nose looks much more bantu than Nilo-Hametic, so it is hard to say what group it comes from.

Cattle blood letting is only done with a special tiny bow and arrow.

I do not think the spear head was ment for the staff. It is generally considered bad form to thrust a spear head first into the ground, kind of like eating with your hands in the west.

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13th July 2007, 06:17 PM	#4
RomaRana Member Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 58	It is a fimbo. The fimbo is a Swahili term for a cattle herding stick and they are generally used all over East Africa. Carved artistic ones are used as walking sticks by elders and as impromptu weapons during council meetings. The use of walking sticks has declined during the modern age but they are still used in many ceremonial functions. These new fimbos are known as vifimbo or staffs, they are part of the uniform of officers of the Tanzanian armed forces. Presidents Nyerere of Tanzania and Jomo Kenyatta of Kenya almost always have one in sight during addresses. It does indeed look like a carving of a Maasai woman although the nose looks much more bantu than Nilo-Hametic, so it is hard to say what group it comes from. Cattle blood letting is only done with a special tiny bow and arrow. I do not think the spear head was ment for the staff. It is generally considered bad form to thrust a spear head first into the ground, kind of like eating with your hands in the west.