Can we call them Genoui daggers ?

RobT · 27th February 2026, 01:27 AM

francantolin,
I wouldn’t call your examples genoui because I only use that term for straight bladed koummya that have the characteristic koummya style hilt and sheath (albeit straight), My criteria are only a matter of personal convenience that I use to differentiate the straight blade form from the standard koummya. I don’t know whether they ever were actually called genoui by Moroccans. Since the Genoese exported both conventional koummya blades and straight blades to Morocco, I can’t see why the Moroccans would only call the straight blade version genoui.

Rick,
There is a pommel shape nicknamed chapeau de gendarme that gets its name from that type of hat. According to Waelty, in Morocco, this form is euphoniously named Ait Ouaouzguite after the loose federation of 20 groups settled in the Central Atlas Mountains who wear this type of koummya.

Ausjulius,
I believe you have exactly addressed the point I was trying to make. Whether the story has to do with baselards, cinquedias, cop’s hats, or Nazi daggers, there is a tendency to see influence traveling from Europe to Africa and not the other way around or at least being a two way street. For example, although Flamenco music is played on a the European guitar, the melismatic singing is purely Moroccan in sound. An even better example would be the international phenomenon of the blues which has informed western music from pop to classical. African untempered pentatonic scales bend notes to meet European well tempered eight note scales and chordal harmonies, et voilà.

Sincerely,
RobT

27th February 2026, 01:27 AM	#12
RobT Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 638	francantolin, I wouldn’t call your examples genoui because I only use that term for straight bladed koummya that have the characteristic koummya style hilt and sheath (albeit straight), My criteria are only a matter of personal convenience that I use to differentiate the straight blade form from the standard koummya. I don’t know whether they ever were actually called genoui by Moroccans. Since the Genoese exported both conventional koummya blades and straight blades to Morocco, I can’t see why the Moroccans would only call the straight blade version genoui. Rick, There is a pommel shape nicknamed chapeau de gendarme that gets its name from that type of hat. According to Waelty, in Morocco, this form is euphoniously named Ait Ouaouzguite after the loose federation of 20 groups settled in the Central Atlas Mountains who wear this type of koummya. Ausjulius, I believe you have exactly addressed the point I was trying to make. Whether the story has to do with baselards, cinquedias, cop’s hats, or Nazi daggers, there is a tendency to see influence traveling from Europe to Africa and not the other way around or at least being a two way street. For example, although Flamenco music is played on a the European guitar, the melismatic singing is purely Moroccan in sound. An even better example would be the international phenomenon of the blues which has informed western music from pop to classical. African untempered pentatonic scales bend notes to meet European well tempered eight note scales and chordal harmonies, et voilà. Sincerely, RobT