South African Police Assegai

[The Double D]

I know the board excludes arsenal made weapons as not being with in the definition of ethnographic for this board. I acquired a weapon today that is arsenal made and surely is an exception and with in the spirit of the board---Modern Ethnographic.

It is a South African Police Service Assegai.



The spear is 44 inches long. (112.5 cm)



The blade is 14 inches by 2 inches (36 cm x 4.5 cm) Shaft is 5 inches long. (13 cm) Although it appears the shaft is a ferrule or socket I don't think it is. The binding is knurled steel and has two cross pins that appear to hold the blade tang in the haft.

The haft is a wood turning with a flared butt. The butt cap is steel and attached with a single screw.

All metal parts are marked with either a U or a Broad arrow U indicating Union of South African Defense.



This spear is about the size of a Zulu iKlwa or amaPhondo iKhebezane but it is substantially heavier. Given the heavier haft and unlike the iKlwa and iKhebezane this spear is very balanced and probably could be thrown. Also as heavy as it is the spear butt end could be used as a night stick.



The fellow I got this spear from said when he started work with the SAPS back in the early 70's their were officers who still carried these on duty.

Does anyone know anything about their history or employment?

[Tim Simmons]

Nice. I have seen longer ones with cane like halft and knurled socket, you have spears from A-Z .

[spiral]

Fascinating! Thanks for sharing.

Spiral

[The Double D]

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

Nice. I have seen longer ones with cane like halft and knurled socket, you have spears from A-Z .

Tim,

I am aware of another similar modern type ethnographic spear. I have heard them refered to as askari spears. This would seem to indicate they are from German East Africa. But they are not. They are spears made for native troops in South Africa during WWII. There is a picture of a Soldier carrying one of these spears while guarding an airfield at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Askari. I know where a couple of them are are but prefer to wait for better examples. These ones have been cleaned with a wire wheel and look like it.

There are two different patterns of them. I don't know how good they would be on the battle field but they were definitely made for the parade ground. There is a groove in the butt. When the spear is at shoulder arms your thumb fits squarely into this groove. Then not only is your fore arm parallel to the deck, all blades in the rank and file are turned at the same angle.

These spears all have wood hafts. The ones that I have seen with cane or rattan hafts were lances and were not what I would call ethnographic. These asakari and SAPS spears are definitely culturally based.

Although my spear collecting is "pure" Zulu, I am quickly coming to the conclusion that there may be no such thing. Zulu's did make there own spears. But there was no hesitation on their part to pick up the other guys weapons left on the battlefield and use them.