Old African scarification knives from Congo

gp · 16th September 2020, 12:50 AM

Although I noticed African knives have been discussed occassionally here since appox 2007 , I could not find anything on Scarification (AKA tattoo) knives?
Whilst it was / is such an important part of their cultural heritage. Next pricewise, these knives are not cheap at all, compared to the "normal" ones...

Quite frequently present in pre 50-ies / 60-ies Africa, one does not see it anymore that often. Also North Africa, especially the Magreb.
I personally recall the first generation Amazigh women in the early 70-ies in the Netherlands and Belgium wearing proud their green coloured tattoos on their chin and forehead. But that's another story...

Back to the Congo. Enclosed a couple of pics of the scarification results and some of the knives, which are between 10 and 19 cm long.
A link on how this is done ( from Benin ) is not for the faint-hearted though...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfhot7tQcWs

gp · 16th September 2020, 12:51 AM

a few more. even in statues they were shown

Battara · 16th September 2020, 02:37 AM

Moving this to Miscellaneous section.

Interesting pieces.

gp · 27th September 2020, 07:32 PM

Enclosed my latest "gain " : a Mangbetu dagger (sape or sapi), although its origin could also be Boa
It was used by both men and women, with or without sheath / leather scabbard.
Length is 16 cm and it is multifunctional: shaving, circumcision and scarifications.

The lady on the picture was photographed by Herbert Lang in Poko, August 1913 whose field notes confirmed that in his time many of these daggers were created to demonstrate wealth and status as well.

Battara · 28th September 2020, 02:52 AM

I have seen scarification up close on Nigerian fellow students (a sign of not ever being a slave nor their family).

Interesting to see the tools used. Must be crazy painful though.

gp · 20th September 2021, 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Battara

I have seen scarification up close on Nigerian fellow students (a sign of not ever being a slave nor their family).

Interesting to see the tools used. Must be crazy painful though.

"a sign of not ever being a slave" even more; it showed their "belonging" such as tribe, position and membership to a (secret) society

Kmaddock · 27th September 2021, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gp

"a sign of not ever being a slave" even more; it showed their "belonging" such as tribe, position and membership to a (secret) society

Hard to see how it is a secret membership when you are displaying your membership so openly though

Regards
Ken

gp · 2nd October 2021, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kmaddock

Hard to see how it is a secret membership when you are displaying your membership so openly though

Regards
Ken

...not secret for the Congolese ( wrong word as there are so many tribes in what is called Congo) and or other Africans but secret for the colonial "masters" who in their "superiority" prejudice often either ignored or underestimated these cultures...and hence didn't understand these signs

Similar like the green tattoos of the North African women did not mean anything to the French and Spannish but would tell you a lot about the specific woman

gp · 10th October 2021, 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gp

...not secret for the Congolese ( wrong word as there are so many tribes in what is called Congo) and or other Africans but secret for the colonial "masters" who in their "superiority" prejudice often either ignored or underestimated these cultures...and hence didn't understand these signs

Similar like the green tattoos of the North African women did not mean anything to the French and Spannish but would tell you a lot about the specific woman

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kmaddock

Hard to see how it is a secret membership when you are displaying your membership so openly though

Regards
Ken

just thinking, don't we in the EU and the Anglo-Saxon world have not also "secret" organisations people know about but only which only members the details...

think of f.i. Skull and Bones... , or less "heavy"some tie-wearing folks in the UK and Eire showing their belonging to Oxbridge, Eton-ic kind of schools which might bring priviliges in the concerned folks future ...Or as you live in Ireland, if your name is tied to a grandparent who had a certain status not only during the Troubles but since the eary 1920-ies...from either side

16th September 2020, 12:50 AM	#1
gp Member Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 717	Old African scarification knives from Congo Although I noticed African knives have been discussed occassionally here since appox 2007 , I could not find anything on Scarification (AKA tattoo) knives? Whilst it was / is such an important part of their cultural heritage. Next pricewise, these knives are not cheap at all, compared to the "normal" ones... Quite frequently present in pre 50-ies / 60-ies Africa, one does not see it anymore that often. Also North Africa, especially the Magreb. I personally recall the first generation Amazigh women in the early 70-ies in the Netherlands and Belgium wearing proud their green coloured tattoos on their chin and forehead. But that's another story... Back to the Congo. Enclosed a couple of pics of the scarification results and some of the knives, which are between 10 and 19 cm long. A link on how this is done ( from Benin ) is not for the faint-hearted though... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Lfhot7tQcWs Attached Images Last edited by gp; 16th September 2020 at 01:40 AM.

16th September 2020, 12:51 AM	#2
gp Member Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 717	a few more. even in statues they were shown Attached Images Last edited by gp; 16th September 2020 at 01:07 AM.

27th September 2020, 07:32 PM	#4
gp Member Join Date: May 2020 Posts: 717	Enclosed my latest "gain " : a Mangbetu dagger (sape or sapi), although its origin could also be Boa It was used by both men and women, with or without sheath / leather scabbard. Length is 16 cm and it is multifunctional: shaving, circumcision and scarifications. The lady on the picture was photographed by Herbert Lang in Poko, August 1913 whose field notes confirmed that in his time many of these daggers were created to demonstrate wealth and status as well. Attached Images Last edited by gp; 27th September 2020 at 08:39 PM.

16th September 2020, 02:37 AM	#3
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,217	Moving this to Miscellaneous section. Interesting pieces.

28th September 2020, 02:52 AM	#5
Battara EAAF Staff Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Louisville, KY Posts: 7,217	I have seen scarification up close on Nigerian fellow students (a sign of not ever being a slave nor their family). Interesting to see the tools used. Must be crazy painful though.