Ethno Weapons World Map

[Edster]

Open idea to the Forum:

What do you all think about developing an interactive world map that shows where and what ethnographic weapons are still in common use today? It would exclude cultural relics or museum pieces but only include weapons that continue today to play a active cultural role in the parent society as the jambiya (dress use) and dancing swords in Oman or the kaskara in Sudan as a wedding symbol and no doubt as an active weapon in parts of the Butana or the Sudan-Ethiopian borderlands. Bows and arrows are still active in Papua New Guinea, although the regular machette or bush knife has the chief role as tool and weapon, but guns are creeping into the Highlands. Puukas still enjoy field use in Finland. My personal knowledge base is limited, but there are wide array of active weapons-ethnic groups observed in several recent posts.

Perhaps members could submit ethnic groups, their geographical range and photographs of the weapons still in common use along with commentary. This info would then be managed and placed on a map by someone with those graphics and database skills.

What do we think?

Regards,
Ed