Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post - A takouba varient ??....just finished on eBay

Jim McDougall · 26th November 2006, 10:25 AM

Hi Katana,
As always, it is often difficult to assign a specific identifying term to weapons, especially ethnographic examples from regions inhabited primarily by nomadic tribal groups. For the sake of simplicity in discussion, this does fall into the 'takouba' group with regard to hilt form, although the curved blade is obviously atypical.
It seems these hybrids occur mostly in Saharan regions around Burkino Faso and Mali, and often use French or German sabre blades, from colonial occupations during latter 19th and turn of the century. While the takouba itself is of course distinctly a Tuareg weapon, it is well known to be used by other Saharan tribes in western Sahara regions, and in variations as seen here. They remain an important element of traditional fashion, and as weapons in degree, just as the well known takoubas of the Tuareg (despite the prevalence of the AK47

.

Best regards,
Jim

P.S. Check the search and read the excellent article on takoubas written by Lee Jones on this site for more detailed information. Just thought of one of these takouba variants from some time ago with a British blade by Mole!!!

26th November 2006, 10:25 AM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,194	Hi Katana, As always, it is often difficult to assign a specific identifying term to weapons, especially ethnographic examples from regions inhabited primarily by nomadic tribal groups. For the sake of simplicity in discussion, this does fall into the 'takouba' group with regard to hilt form, although the curved blade is obviously atypical. It seems these hybrids occur mostly in Saharan regions around Burkino Faso and Mali, and often use French or German sabre blades, from colonial occupations during latter 19th and turn of the century. While the takouba itself is of course distinctly a Tuareg weapon, it is well known to be used by other Saharan tribes in western Sahara regions, and in variations as seen here. They remain an important element of traditional fashion, and as weapons in degree, just as the well known takoubas of the Tuareg (despite the prevalence of the AK47 . Best regards, Jim P.S. Check the search and read the excellent article on takoubas written by Lee Jones on this site for more detailed information. Just thought of one of these takouba variants from some time ago with a British blade by Mole!!!