Zanzibar, Saiid The Great and his influence on Omani swords and weapons.

Peter Hudson · 10th November 2022, 11:15 PM

To assist readers here are a few threads to check out;
1. The African Great Lakes and The Omani Empire.
2. The Omani Khanjar.
Indeed the easiest way to do this is to type into search the word OMANI and any Tittle that has the word Omani in it... just whip through it and soak up the detail...Peter Hudson

Just to note that Jim McDougall effectively nailed the provenance of Kitara belonging to Bunyoro-Kitara at #5 thread on The African Great Lakes and the Omani Empire. a couple of years ago where he wrote I Quote"Here we note that the broadswords of Oman and Zanzibar we have known as 'kattara' were clearly well known by the 1850s in the interior of Africa, and with that to the Omani Sultanate in Zanzibar, but they were not known by that term, only as usual, as sayf.
As also shown, these were worn as symbols of prestige and power, but not intended as weapons.

In the regions of the interior, and as clearly adopted from the traditions there, in the then Kingdom of Kitara, the sword was the key element of stature and power, and called KITARA.

From "The Warrior Tradition on Modern Africa", ed. Ali Amin Mazrui (p.24)
"...in Bunyoro too, the word 'KITARA' , means a sword but has historically come to signify an empire, worn by individuals possessed of significant virtue".
from "Bunyoro Kitara in the North Interlacustrine Region",
by G. N. Uzoigwe, "East African Kingdoms".Unquote.

Jim McDougall · 12th November 2022, 04:02 AM

Thank you very much for noting that research of some years ago where in the voluminous text characteristic of Burton, I happened upon this remarkable comparison. I found other corroboration for the 'kitara' sword and the term which seemed compellingly to fit with the Omani term 'kattara' for their swords.

As can be seen on concurrent threads, there is often a great deal of concern and debate on the proper terms used to describe certain ethnographic sword forms, currently those of India.

In the case of the Sudanese 'kaskara' I began trying to find the origin and application of that term for their familiar broadswords. Over years, I had no success and virtually nobody I reached out to had any idea where the term came from. Further, it seems there is virtually no awareness of the term with the people of the Sudan, their term for these simply, sa'if.

I had however found that the earliest use of the term was by Burton (1884) in his "Book of the Sword", but he made so specific mention of the origin of the term, but just used it to describe the sword.

It was not until Iain Norman, years later in his research on North African tribes found that this was a Baghirmi term, and the Burton use of it seems to have somehow influenced writers to apply it accordingly.

This seems to be a familiar circumstance at how certain terms for certain ethnographic forms which become commonly used in 'collectors parlance' .

kai · 12th November 2022, 07:51 PM

Quote:

1. The African Great Lakes and The Omani Empire.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=27256

Quote:

2. The Omani Khanjar.

http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=14878

kronckew · 12th November 2022, 09:48 PM

I found this buried at the end of one of the above khanjar references:

It shows an Omani armed with his weapons issued from the common store in case of impending attack. The sword I thus assume is fit for battle. the sturdy grip seems to differ from the 'dancing'/Ceremonial type, and the blade looks like a wicked slashing weapon.

Peter Hudson · 13th November 2022, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kronckew

I found this buried at the end of one of the above khanjar references:

It shows an Omani armed with his weapons issued from the common store in case of impending attack. The sword I thus assume is fit for battle. the sturdy grip seems to differ from the 'dancing'/Ceremonial type, and the blade looks like a wicked slashing weapon.

Dear kronckew, The rifle looks like a Martini Henry .. The 4 Ringer Khanjar looks to be on an Ivory hilt. The sword is a dancer . The key to its description is a flat flexible double edged blade on a Long Omani Hilt. Its The Sayf. Pageants only.

Peter Hudson.

Jim McDougall · 13th November 2022, 07:04 PM

I think one of the most confounding problems for arms historians beyond the semantics in describing weapons verbally is the introduction of the CDV (=carte de visite) which was a French convention , sort of forerunner of the post card. Photography was a way to dramatize visually the figures in places, events, and often of course ethnographic persona.

One of the most colorful anecdotes on this I recall was a film maker (the later movie making version of this) during the time of Pancho Villa. He wanted to film, in real time, an actual attack of his men against the Federale forces.
He did so, but declared the film useless because the 'action' was too boring.

These images of soldiers, warriors, etc. are almost typically staged by photographers of the time who often carried weapons in their 'kit' to be used as props, or assembled weapons at hand which would add impetus to the image.

In the case of this Omani warrior, he looks intimidating, but while the Martini-Henry was of course quite likely in the hands of every warrior, as this was their primary weapon of the time. It would be unusual for the rank and file warrior to have an ivory hilt khanjhar, and this sword of course was handy for a photo op.

It is clear that visits by travelers, writers, or diplomats were presented with performances staged with these swords, and these were described by those early visitors like Fraser and Wellstead in the years nearing mid 19th c.
The fact that there were 'long swords' such as the well mounted examples of these swords present in degree among the Omani's of course would cloud the form itself between the performance types and those swords of office with trade blades.
Just as with the CDV, diplomatic performances, and travelers narratives, it is about effect, and as seen, often compelling.

Peter Hudson · 13th November 2022, 08:23 PM

Dear JIM,

I admit I may have been confused as I havent recognised the picture of the guard from any of the references by kronckew even though they refer to my much earlier threads ...The problem is I think this is a late picture and may show not an Ivory hilt on the Khanjar but a white plastic hilt....thus the confusion to some degree... However the age of the picture can be ignored as the sword type is Sayf and although it looks warlike and has two sharp edges it is a pageantry item only. The date is irrelevant since dancing swords are part of the time honoured Funun which is everlasting as the traditions are passed down from father to son in Oman. Palace and Fort guards were issued dancing swords with which they could herald the ruler should he visit...as well as enacting the Razha dance and mimic sword fight contest. It should be remembered that the Terrs was inherrited to accompany the Sayf and added to
the curved Kitara.
It is remarkable how many parts of the swords were designed into these three items down the centuries as well as the use of a redesigned Royal Khanjar hilt adorning the Royal Khanjar and a very similar hilt fashioned for the ancient Sayf Yemaani.

Regards,
Peter Hudson.

kronckew · 13th November 2022, 09:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Hudson

Dear JIM,

I admit I may have been confused as I havent recognised the picture of the guard from any of the references by kronckew even though they refer to my much earlier threads ......

Regards,
Peter Hudson.

Found the reference, had a contorted search path to it. From an actual Omani website:

https://khanjar.om/Past.html

grendolino · 24th November 2022, 11:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peter Hudson

Dear JIM,

I admit I may have been confused as I havent recognised the picture of the guard from any of the references by kronckew even though they refer to my much earlier threads ...The problem is I think this is a late picture and may show not an Ivory hilt on the Khanjar but a white plastic hilt....thus the confusion to some degree... However the age of the picture can be ignored as the sword type is Sayf and although it looks warlike and has two sharp edges it is a pageantry item only. The date is irrelevant since dancing swords are part of the time honoured Funun which is everlasting as the traditions are passed down from father to son in Oman. Palace and Fort guards were issued dancing swords with which they could herald the ruler should he visit...as well as enacting the Razha dance and mimic sword fight contest. It should be remembered that the Terrs was inherrited to accompany the Sayf and added to
the curved Kitara.
It is remarkable how many parts of the swords were designed into these three items down the centuries as well as the use of a redesigned Royal Khanjar hilt adorning the Royal Khanjar and a very similar hilt fashioned for the ancient Sayf Yemaani.

Regards,
Peter Hudson.

I have one such dancing sword. First it is marked with Passau Wolf, (likely forged, but anyway it was forged to mark the combat excellence of the weapon). Second, it is the arm of gunpowder era, so auxilliary and symbolic at least. Third mine iz razor sharp what wouldnt be needed for dancing. Fourth - the main enemy it was used for was the naked man from Equatorial Africa. I wouldn not be pleased to be treated with it on my bare back...Anyway - when I see it I dont think of fancy dancing but of proud any European feel bearing smallsword, which in 19th century was not for battle or even duel but not for dancing also.

10th November 2022, 11:15 PM	#1
Peter Hudson Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Posts: 347	To assist readers here are a few threads to check out; 1. The African Great Lakes and The Omani Empire. 2. The Omani Khanjar. Indeed the easiest way to do this is to type into search the word OMANI and any Tittle that has the word Omani in it... just whip through it and soak up the detail...Peter Hudson Just to note that Jim McDougall effectively nailed the provenance of Kitara belonging to Bunyoro-Kitara at #5 thread on The African Great Lakes and the Omani Empire. a couple of years ago where he wrote I Quote"Here we note that the broadswords of Oman and Zanzibar we have known as 'kattara' were clearly well known by the 1850s in the interior of Africa, and with that to the Omani Sultanate in Zanzibar, but they were not known by that term, only as usual, as sayf. As also shown, these were worn as symbols of prestige and power, but not intended as weapons. In the regions of the interior, and as clearly adopted from the traditions there, in the then Kingdom of Kitara, the sword was the key element of stature and power, and called KITARA. From "The Warrior Tradition on Modern Africa", ed. Ali Amin Mazrui (p.24) "...in Bunyoro too, the word 'KITARA' , means a sword but has historically come to signify an empire, worn by individuals possessed of significant virtue". from "Bunyoro Kitara in the North Interlacustrine Region", by G. N. Uzoigwe, "East African Kingdoms".Unquote. Last edited by Peter Hudson; 11th November 2022 at 03:43 AM.

12th November 2022, 09:48 PM	#4
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,263	I found this buried at the end of one of the above khanjar references: It shows an Omani armed with his weapons issued from the common store in case of impending attack. The sword I thus assume is fit for battle. the sturdy grip seems to differ from the 'dancing'/Ceremonial type, and the blade looks like a wicked slashing weapon. Attached Images

12th November 2022, 04:02 AM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,733	Thank you very much for noting that research of some years ago where in the voluminous text characteristic of Burton, I happened upon this remarkable comparison. I found other corroboration for the 'kitara' sword and the term which seemed compellingly to fit with the Omani term 'kattara' for their swords. As can be seen on concurrent threads, there is often a great deal of concern and debate on the proper terms used to describe certain ethnographic sword forms, currently those of India. In the case of the Sudanese 'kaskara' I began trying to find the origin and application of that term for their familiar broadswords. Over years, I had no success and virtually nobody I reached out to had any idea where the term came from. Further, it seems there is virtually no awareness of the term with the people of the Sudan, their term for these simply, sa'if. I had however found that the earliest use of the term was by Burton (1884) in his "Book of the Sword", but he made so specific mention of the origin of the term, but just used it to describe the sword. It was not until Iain Norman, years later in his research on North African tribes found that this was a Baghirmi term, and the Burton use of it seems to have somehow influenced writers to apply it accordingly. This seems to be a familiar circumstance at how certain terms for certain ethnographic forms which become commonly used in 'collectors parlance' .

13th November 2022, 07:04 PM	#6
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 10,733	I think one of the most confounding problems for arms historians beyond the semantics in describing weapons verbally is the introduction of the CDV (=carte de visite) which was a French convention , sort of forerunner of the post card. Photography was a way to dramatize visually the figures in places, events, and often of course ethnographic persona. One of the most colorful anecdotes on this I recall was a film maker (the later movie making version of this) during the time of Pancho Villa. He wanted to film, in real time, an actual attack of his men against the Federale forces. He did so, but declared the film useless because the 'action' was too boring. These images of soldiers, warriors, etc. are almost typically staged by photographers of the time who often carried weapons in their 'kit' to be used as props, or assembled weapons at hand which would add impetus to the image. In the case of this Omani warrior, he looks intimidating, but while the Martini-Henry was of course quite likely in the hands of every warrior, as this was their primary weapon of the time. It would be unusual for the rank and file warrior to have an ivory hilt khanjhar, and this sword of course was handy for a photo op. It is clear that visits by travelers, writers, or diplomats were presented with performances staged with these swords, and these were described by those early visitors like Fraser and Wellstead in the years nearing mid 19th c. The fact that there were 'long swords' such as the well mounted examples of these swords present in degree among the Omani's of course would cloud the form itself between the performance types and those swords of office with trade blades. Just as with the CDV, diplomatic performances, and travelers narratives, it is about effect, and as seen, often compelling.

13th November 2022, 08:23 PM	#7
Peter Hudson Member Join Date: Jul 2020 Posts: 347	Dear JIM, I admit I may have been confused as I havent recognised the picture of the guard from any of the references by kronckew even though they refer to my much earlier threads ...The problem is I think this is a late picture and may show not an Ivory hilt on the Khanjar but a white plastic hilt....thus the confusion to some degree... However the age of the picture can be ignored as the sword type is Sayf and although it looks warlike and has two sharp edges it is a pageantry item only. The date is irrelevant since dancing swords are part of the time honoured Funun which is everlasting as the traditions are passed down from father to son in Oman. Palace and Fort guards were issued dancing swords with which they could herald the ruler should he visit...as well as enacting the Razha dance and mimic sword fight contest. It should be remembered that the Terrs was inherrited to accompany the Sayf and added to the curved Kitara. It is remarkable how many parts of the swords were designed into these three items down the centuries as well as the use of a redesigned Royal Khanjar hilt adorning the Royal Khanjar and a very similar hilt fashioned for the ancient Sayf Yemaani. Regards, Peter Hudson.