Wire work axe

graeme gt · 28th September 2010, 05:39 PM

Hi Guys,What do you make of this is it Tsonga ? do you think they are weapons or a badge of rank ?

Tim Simmons · 28th September 2010, 08:08 PM

Very, very nice. I have an axe with a very similar shape blade but bronze. This example is perfect

!!!!

Lew · 28th September 2010, 10:20 PM

Wait a second I am wiping the drool off my key board

That is a nice example!

Ron Anderson · 29th September 2010, 02:12 AM

Beautiful.

graeme gt · 29th September 2010, 01:18 PM

Thanks guys i couldnt believe it when i saw it ,only seen them in books.

Ron Anderson · 30th September 2010, 01:43 AM

Strictly speaking, there is no traditional Tsonga culture to speak of.

Tsonga is the word describing ethnic Shangaan people who have migrated from Mozambique to South Africa. It is word that fits more ethnic Shangaan working in Johannesburg's gold mines. Many of these have in the last few decades settled permenantly in South Africa, but they do not have a tradition or identity as Tsonga that goes back for any real length of time.

I have no reason to think this axe isn't South African or, for that matter, Zulu.

But if it is Tsonga, then it may be more correct to describe it as Shangaan and from Mozambique not South Africa.

28th September 2010, 05:39 PM	#1
graeme gt Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 97	Wire work axe Hi Guys,What do you make of this is it Tsonga ? do you think they are weapons or a badge of rank ? Attached Images

28th September 2010, 08:08 PM	#2
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	Very, very nice. I have an axe with a very similar shape blade but bronze. This example is perfect !!!!

28th September 2010, 10:20 PM	#3
Lew (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: East Coast USA Posts: 3,191	Wait a second I am wiping the drool off my key board That is a nice example!

29th September 2010, 02:12 AM	#4
Ron Anderson Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 228	Beautiful.

29th September 2010, 01:18 PM	#5
graeme gt Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 97	Thanks guys i couldnt believe it when i saw it ,only seen them in books.

30th September 2010, 01:43 AM	#6
Ron Anderson Member Join Date: Aug 2010 Location: Sydney Australia Posts: 228	Strictly speaking, there is no traditional Tsonga culture to speak of. Tsonga is the word describing ethnic Shangaan people who have migrated from Mozambique to South Africa. It is word that fits more ethnic Shangaan working in Johannesburg's gold mines. Many of these have in the last few decades settled permenantly in South Africa, but they do not have a tradition or identity as Tsonga that goes back for any real length of time. I have no reason to think this axe isn't South African or, for that matter, Zulu. But if it is Tsonga, then it may be more correct to describe it as Shangaan and from Mozambique not South Africa.