What is it?

tom hyle · 24th February 2005, 02:32 AM

Oh snap; how'd I miss that one? That's central African. It may be Kuba but I don't think so. The Kuba fighting sword of this style is called ilwoon, and is illegal to carry except in war. The type seems fairly closely related to seme to me as well (If you've never handled an old seme, let me explain; the narrow blade base is thick, shaftlike, and commonly unsharp, while the wide tip is relatively flat and thin for cutting.) I like these; I'd really like a Kuba one. The Kube ones I've seen have a midribbed base and a flat or flattish tip with a more rounded end than this. Not sure who these come from, but that badass lookin bolster has also a 'Zande look about it. I've seen this type and other variations. Typically the seller calls 'em Kuba, but I don't think they are, or if they are they aren't ilwoon per se, or are a varient. Kuba was traditionally a multiethnic kingdom (or an empire, to get all technical) The ruling tribe, often miscalled a clan, were the Bushoong, and each tribe had some variations in material culture. So these could be Kuba under that understanding, for instance, for all I know. The pommel is often like this on this variety, and I can see a relation to Kuba art; a central Africaness, but it doesn't look Kuba to me. The Konda and/or Mongo ones with the double-hooked ends are often said to be used for work, but I don't know if this is true or not. One time Conogre had a particularly nice one of them, and then I had it, but now it's out in the world with someone else. The seme is used for work.

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24th February 2005, 02:32 AM	#2
tom hyle Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Houston, TX, USA Posts: 1,254	Oh snap; how'd I miss that one? That's central African. It may be Kuba but I don't think so. The Kuba fighting sword of this style is called ilwoon, and is illegal to carry except in war. The type seems fairly closely related to seme to me as well (If you've never handled an old seme, let me explain; the narrow blade base is thick, shaftlike, and commonly unsharp, while the wide tip is relatively flat and thin for cutting.) I like these; I'd really like a Kuba one. The Kube ones I've seen have a midribbed base and a flat or flattish tip with a more rounded end than this. Not sure who these come from, but that badass lookin bolster has also a 'Zande look about it. I've seen this type and other variations. Typically the seller calls 'em Kuba, but I don't think they are, or if they are they aren't ilwoon per se, or are a varient. Kuba was traditionally a multiethnic kingdom (or an empire, to get all technical) The ruling tribe, often miscalled a clan, were the Bushoong, and each tribe had some variations in material culture. So these could be Kuba under that understanding, for instance, for all I know. The pommel is often like this on this variety, and I can see a relation to Kuba art; a central Africaness, but it doesn't look Kuba to me. The Konda and/or Mongo ones with the double-hooked ends are often said to be used for work, but I don't know if this is true or not. One time Conogre had a particularly nice one of them, and then I had it, but now it's out in the world with someone else. The seme is used for work.