Massai ceremonial initiation spear for comment

[Tim Simmons]

I think Luc might have put his finger on it. Here is a picture of a Angoni warrior, a branch of South African {Zulu?} people that were raiding neighboring people around lake Tanganyika and towards Nyassaland. Note the similar all steel spear. Tim

[katana]

Thankyou for all your replies. I wasn't convinced that the spear was Masai, due to the spear blade's shape. I had tried to research the Masai initiation ceremonies but could find no reference to boys using such ceremonial spears.
Unfortunately, it seems nearly 'every' spear I have seen is often falsely described as either Zulu or Masai, to enhance the price. However, this spear is well crafted, old and of interest. I would like to 'nail' the origin of the spear.
Thankyou Tim, again, for your Knowledge of African weapons, could you suggest any books on the subject? (ie knives, swords and spears).

[RomaRana]

Originally Posted by katana

Thankyou for all your replies. I wasn't convinced that the spear was Masai, due to the spear blade's shape. I had tried to research the Masai initiation ceremonies but could find no reference to boys using such ceremonial spears.

The only maasai initiation weapon maasai boys get is a "love" bow and arrow. For a short period of time the newly circumsised males must dress differently and live away from the community (also, not in the manyatta). They are given small bows and soft tiped arrows to shoot girls they want to have relations with.

[VANDOO]

THE YOUNG MASAI DO DRESS IN A SPECIAL GARB AND OFTEN COVER THEMSELVES IN ASH OR SOMETHING WHICH MAKES THEM APPEAR WHITISH. THE ONES I HAVE SEEN HAD STICK SPEARS AND SHIELDS. I HAVE ONE OF THE SHIELDS AND DID NOT SEE ANY GROWN MASAI WITH SHIELDS SO I SUSPECT THEY ONLY HAVE A CEREMONIAL FUNCTION IN THEIR SOCIETY THESE DAYS. I DIDN'T SEE A BOW PERHAPS THEY ARE ONLY USED AND CARRIED AT CERTIAN TIMES AND PLACES. I'M JUST GUESSING AS I HAVE NEVER RESEARCHED THE MASAI, JUST READ A BIT HERE AND THERE AND HAVE SEEN THEM IN TANZINIA.

[Freddy]

Luc, according to the book 'African Arms and Armour' by Christopher Spring, there are more types of Maasai spear.

This is what he writes in his book :

The graded system of Maasai society is reflected by the four distinct types of spear commonly used by them. The uncircumcised boys usually carry a javelin-like spear, esururu, made out of one piece of rounded iron, sometimes with a leather hand grip bound around the centre. The head is sometimes hammered into an oval shape but often left straight. The butt is usually of square section.

A couple of years ago, I happened to stumble onto such a spear. Here are some pics :







This is not some kind of ceremonial item. It has a real good balance and is fairly heavy (all iron). I think it would do quite some damage when thrown at something or someone.

The total length is approx 1m80 (72 inches)

[Titus Pullo]

Originally Posted by Freddy

Luc, according to the book 'African Arms and Armour' by Christopher Spring, there are more types of Maasai spear.

This is what he writes in his book :

The graded system of Maasai society is reflected by the four distinct types of spear commonly used by them. The uncircumcised boys usually carry a javelin-like spear, esururu, made out of one piece of rounded iron, sometimes with a leather hand grip bound around the centre. The head is sometimes hammered into an oval shape but often left straight. The butt is usually of square section.

A couple of years ago, I happened to stumble onto such a spear. Here are some pics :







This is not some kind of ceremonial item. It has a real good balance and is fairly heavy (all iron). I think it would do quite some damage when thrown at something or someone.

The total length is approx 1m80 (72 inches)

I heard they used to hunt lions with their spears. It takes a lot of injuries to kill a big ferocious animals like that. I heard somebody was attacked by a sick lion, that couldn't hunt the normal preys, and at first, he stabbed it a couple times with his knife, and it still was trying to kill him by closing it's jaws around his head trying to puncture his skull with the big canines, so he keep stabbing it until it finally let go and took off.

[katana]

This recently finished on eBay, similar to the spear that started this thread, but not as well made/forged. The seller stated it was described as 100% Zulu when bought from a reputable auction house

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.d...0440&rd=1&rd=1

I think it was mis-described, has anyone any thoughts or comments?

Regards David

[katana]

I have searched on the internet and discovered this picture and discription in a Anthropology Collections website.

AFRICAN ETHNOGRAPHIC COLLECTION Culture: MASAI(MASSAI), WAHUMBA? Locale: WAHUMBA? Country: KENYA Material: WOOD,METAL(IRON),LEATHER Dimensions: L:170.2 W:5.7 [in CM] Donor: SCHIFF Acquisition Year: 1898

Spear (1/5533)

Notice the spearhead shape, the central rib, and the date of acquisition 1898, Perhaps around this time this design spearhead / spear were more common?

[Tim Simmons]

Freddy what a nice spear rather like the Tuareg all metal spear.

Saying a people used just one or two types of spear is a trifle bombastic. This is often said about the Zulu. Spears vary in function and a spear blade unless very distinctive, is a rather mature design making attribution just on an ordinary shape without provenance or documented evidence a little tricky. A book reviewing pan African spear types would be a great publication also a Herculean task and most probably rather expensive.

Picture Hutchinson & co London 1918. Okay the caption says Kikuyu but culturally not dissimilar to the Massai who I believe used the same initiation shields symbolising emergence. Just thought the picture was relevent to the thread. Tim