Zulu Assegai descriptions

[The Double D]

Eileen Jensen Krige The Social System of the Zulu list 15 different patterns and 20 different names for Zulu spears or Assegais used by Zulu’s. Ms. Krige list includes footnotes identifying her source. Krige also refers to all spears as Assegai. The following is from her book.

• isiNkemba, isiPhapha: Assegai with short very broad oval shaped blade, about as large as ones hand, often carried for ornamental purposes. Bryant, Zulu-English Dictionary.

• umKhonto: Assegai of any variety. (term also for knife) Bryant, Zulu-English Dictionary

• umKhwa, iKlwa: Large, long-bladed assegai for war, and on serious occasions. R.C. Samuelson, Long, Long Ago (1929) Callaway mentions that the blade is about as wide as two fingers, and it has short shank and stick. Callaway, Nursery Tales. This was the one Shaka substituted for the long throwing assegais. Bryant, Olden Times in Zululand and Natal.

• isiKwata: Short bladed and broad bladed assegai but pointed at the end.

• iKhebezane: Assegai with long broad blade with grooves, not common in Zululand. Bryant, Zulu-English Dictionary. Colenso and Calloway say that it is a light spear which Colenso states is used by the amaPhondo.

• inHlendhla, iZakha: Barbed Assegai with a shortish shank and used in hunting. Bryant, Zulu-English Dictionary

• inGcula, inTshusha: Kind of assegai with a very long shank and small blade, perhaps four to five inches long used for small game etc. Bryant, Zulu-English Dictionary

• inDlodlela, umDludlu: Assegai with a very long blade-shank headed by a tiny spear perhaps two inches in length. Bryant, Zulu-English Dictionary

• isiJula, isiNsemba: Assegai for game some what larger than inGcula and according to Samuelson with a fair sized narrowish blade with a long shaft. .C. Samuelson, Long, Long Ago (1929) Callaway says it is a broad blade with a short strong shank which is set entirely into a strong stick, It is used as an axe or to dig up roots and is also called isiNesemba. Callaway, Nursery Tales.

• uNhlekwane: Hunting assegai like isiJula but with a shorter haft. R.C. Samuelson, Long, Long Ago (1929).

• inGicawe: Assegai with short slender blade as long as a finger. With a long often twisted and otherwise ornamented shank. Used for hunting (both throwing and stabbing) and slaughtering. Callaway, Nursery Tales.

• iThatha: Barbed assegai with blades going out at broad angles

• isiNqindi: Short handled assegai for stabbing at close quarters. R.C. Samuelson, Long, Long Ago (1929) Bryant says it usually consists only of the broad blade. It is held by a Bride in the hand and is used to cut meat at weddings.

• inCusa: The most ancient weapon and in little use since Shaka’s time. It is a throwing spear and it has a blade ten to twelve inches being joined to a straight handle with wet hide.

[The Double D]

Iklwa or unKhwa



Blade is 16.5 inches long and 1 7/8 inches wide. Over all length is 47 inches.

[The Double D]

isiJula



Blade is 7 inches long by 1 1/8 inches wide with 5 inch shank. Overall length 62 1/2 inches

[The Double D]

Krige gives this definition:

iKhebezane: Assegai with long broad blade with grooves, not common in Zululand. Bryant, Zulu-English Dictionary. Colenso and Calloway say that it is a light spear which Colenso states is used by the amaPhondo.

A.T. Bryant in The Zulu People gives this additional information. "In the iKebezane assegai (confined to Swazis, Natal Natives and Mpondos) one half of the blade, back and front , but on opposite sides was grooved concavely."

Blade is 6 1/2 inches long by 1 ince wide with 2 inch shaft. Overall length 56 inches.



The haft is very light being about the diameter of a pencil for most it's length.

[The Double D]

Assegai terminology:

• umKhonto: Assegai

• UmTonga: Metal Smith who made the blades

• isiTando: The smithy

• iNyanga yokuPisela: Assegai maker. He makes gets the blades from umTonga and makes the umkhonto.

• uTi: Wooden shaft

• ukuDla: Assagai blades

• ukuGwaza: Stabbing spears

• ukuCiba: Hurling or throwing spears

• ukuPisela: Inserting iron blade

• isiPiselo: Boring tool that is heated to make the hole in the shaft for the blade tang

• isiDunui: The widened spear head

• umSuku: Pointed shank or tang of blade

• umHlandla: Ridge or spine of blade

• ubuKali: Sharpened edge

• iLomo: The mouth of the deep vertical hole bored in the shaft for the tang.

• iNgcino: Plant who’s root is used to make the glue used to hold the blade in place

• isiSanto: The bark from this plant was used to bind the shaft over the bored end of the shaft.

• iNkulati: Tip of a cows tail that was slipped over the isiSanto when it is still wet ands supple and allowed to dry in place

• iNtana: Vine used to bind with out iNkulati

From. A.T. Bryant, The Zulu people, as they were before the White Man came

[Tim Simmons]

Interesting. I appear to have an old inHlendhla, iZakha. Thanks.

[Tim Simmons]

Approximately 140cm long. Blade 10.5cm, iron shank 25cm. UkuCiba inHlendhla iZakha.

[The Double D]

Bryant in The Zulu People has a wonderful description of the inHlendhla or iZakha, or as he refers to it inTlendla.

The inTlendla was a "royal" weapon, carried only by the chief and other great men as he permitted. It had a a barbed blade (with two wings, each about 2 inches long) at the end of a very long shank. It was commonly used by the gentry as a walking staff of quality: though on occasion it was used for more serious business of either stabbing or hurling at a foe, who generally ran off with, as it was difficult to extract.

[Tim Simmons]

Oh you are a lovely man . Thanks Tim.

[Tim Simmons]

This picture was very kindly brought to my attention by Douglas. The Zulu dignitary is carrying the same spear. How nice, to find it is rather special .

[The Double D]

And the next step...

In another thread I mentioned on a spear buying trip, my wife took it upon herself to liquidate my on hand cash and buy some knobkerries.

Here is one she bought. It is 38 inches long'



Do you see it in the picture? It's not a knobkerrie at all. It is the stick for a shield. If this stick is for a shield it may be for a iHubelo or hunting shield or an umBumbuluso or Cetshwayo War shield.

[The Double D]

isiKwata



59 inches long (149.5 cm) overall. Blade 8 inches (20 cm) long by 1 3/4 inches (4.5 cm) wide. Exposed shaft 5 inches (12.5 cm)

Heavy haft with hair covered leather binding.



Straight butt.



I am not comfortable with the description of of this spear as isKwata but it's the best I can come up with. If someone has a better idea I am listening.

[The Double D]

iKhebezane: Assegai with long broad blade with grooves, not common in Zululand. Bryant, Zulu-English Dictionary. Colenso and Calloway say that it is a light spear which Colenso states is used by the amaPhondo.

A.T. Bryant in The Zulu People gives this additional information. "In the iKebezane assegai (confined to Swazis, Natal Natives and Mpondos) one half of the blade, back and front , but on opposite sides was grooved concavely.

I used this description to describe the small spear up thread. This week I got this spear.



This spear is 45 inches long (114.5 cm ). Blade is 16 inches long by 2 inches wide (40 cm x 5 cm). No exposed shaft, concave blade and no swollen butt.



I think this new spear more correctly fits the description of iKhebezane than the ligther one. Both spears were made using the same manufacturing techniques.

The new spear is also very definitely a stabbing spear.

[The Double D]

inGcula



Overall length 53 inches (135 cm). Blade 4 1/2 inches by 7/8 inches (11 cm x 2.2 cm) Shank 7 1/2 inches (190 cm) Flared butt.

[Tim Simmons]

These are rather nice. I like the iKhebezane a good find. I wonder if this blade is obtained through trade or is it made by Zulu smiths? Very interesting i would not of thought this was from so far south. I would have said Mashona land or further north. You are getting a nice colletion going.

[The Double D]

A.T. Bryant credits the iKebezane assegai to Swazis, Natal Natives and Mpondos. All Nguni's as well as the Zulu's if I under stand the anthropolgy right. All those tribes surround Zululand.

By trade, by conquest, to the victor go the spoils. Food, cattle, weapons and women.

I will be spending Christmas at Isandlwana Lodge and they have arrange for me to visit a blacksmith. I hope he can shed some light on this.

[Tim Simmons]

As Southern African is at the top again I just have to add this. I got it today at one of those military junk fairs, I really should not have spent any money at all!!! especially as it was not much of a bargain. So I post it to get good mileage.

Douglas does that book with all the spear info mention anything about sticks and staffs?

[ggoudie]

Nice stick Tim is it a real club or some form of status ?

[The Double D]

I'll start another topic with Zulu sticks and the descriptions from Krige. Then we can keep this topic assegais and have a separate for knobkerries. Got a couple of new ones to show you.

[Tim Simmons]

Thank you ggoudie, It must be a prestige item as it is far too light to be a weapon of war. It may also be more of an East African item. This picture from Men-at-Arms series "Warrior Peoples of East Africa 1840-1900" shows an early Turkana warrior in 1888. The stick here has strong similarities and searching knobkerries, I have found nothing as distinct as this but many beautiful Southern clubs of varied form. So I think it safe to assume Turkana, which I like all the more for the money I should have kept safe from the demon inside.