The Manding sword, the Tuareg aljuinar and Omani curved kattara: Are they connected?

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Reference;
A. http://takouba.org/catalog/index.php/what-is-a-takouba


The question is still only about two thirds answered since no mention of the Tuaregs. Therefor ~ if as has been accepted on the thread there was indeed a cultural understanding between Mande and Sudanic regions via trade religion and war... what was the relationship with the other important part of the question at #1 >>>>The part about Tuaregs? From atkinsons-swords I include viz;

Quote"The Tuareg hang sheathed swords from their shoulders or wear them low at their hips. This leather and metal scabbard is decorated with cutwork and stamped, pierced and engraved designs. The takuba has been adopted for wear by prosperous men of numerous ethnic groups in Sudanic Africa. The smiths, “Ineden”, who make and mount these swords are predominantly of Negroid Sudanic African ancestry, and form a separate caste which has its own secret language “ténet”. Members of the blacksmith caste do not intermarry with the Tuaregs and are often regarded as possessing dark mystic powers".Unquote.

Paragraph 4 of reference poses a question of how much was this sword a weapon and how much was it for prestige and show? Is it related to the MENDING sword?

As my own website has been referenced I will respond. Firstly, the question asked has several flaws.

1. The takouba is not exclusive to the Tuareg

2. It does not originate with the Tuareg

3. Perhaps the most important point, it is disingenuous to conflate a sword associated with societal rank and swords which were not used for combat.

Associating swords with class position and restrictions on who can carry them is a practice found throughout the Medieval world. You cannot assume that a sword is not a combat weapon simply because it also serves as a symbol of rank. The same applies to the Manding swords and sabres.

To be clear, the takouba was a combat weapon, there is a multitude of sources for this including colonial accounts of its use. there are still occasional disputes between Fulani herders and farmers over land rights which see swords used.

The Manding sword form and takouba are only related in so far as they occasionally share trade blades.

I have already made clear in previously posts in this thread the nature and origin of curved blades in takouba mounts.

Just to touch on one last flawed assumption in this thread, lack of a guard has never precluded combat use, from the shashka to the Maciejowski choppers.