Names of African Swords

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Changdao

It is a frequent phenomenon. Many of the names that stick really are just "sword" in the native language. Sometimes they can be useful, and other times they absolutely flatten the nuances that there are, especially if what is taken as the name is actually that of the people (or part of) using them.

"Mandinka" sabres are absolutely one example. These were used by the Mandinka, the Wolof, the Fulani (many branches of them: Toucouleurs, in Futa Djallon, in coastal Senegambia, etc), but it is rather common to see them attributed only to Mandinka when it is actually unknown. I actually believe that they originated within the Mandinka, just that it happened way back in the XV-XVIth century and it gave way to a rather large weapon family

To add to my previous soliloquy;
The 'Mandinka' sabers are as noted typically regarded as from this tribe and from Mali, but obviously there are not distinct geographic boundaries to their regional presence. As far as I have known, there has never been a term for these sabers distinctly assigned, nor a distinct regional categorization...simply that it is a Mandinka saber.

The Mandinka tribes as I have understood were keenly in control of Trans Saharan trade routes which of course went through the important hub of Timbuktu in Mali. This alone would account for the diffusion of these type sabers, and the distinct leather work which seems to come from the west.
It is notable that the flared scabbard tip which is a distinctly Sudanese feature from the kaskara is present on these Mandinka sabers.

Also notable is that these typically have European saber blades, which is atypical for the preference of straight broadsword blades from Sahara to Sudan with the takouba and kaskara. Here I would note that some Tuareg swords with takouba type hilts have such saber blades and are known as ALJUINAR in Taureg parlance.

As far as the MANDINKA saber, I was once discussing these with a Fulani man from Guinea and showed him photos of one of these.
He immediately recognized it and called it KOTA........and pointed out the scabbard as called HOLGA (= house, apparently).

The study of the diffusion of these sabers is far more complex, but of course reflects the importance of the trade routes and how they carried not only goods but many cultural influences far and wide.