The Manding sword, the Tuareg aljuinar and Omani curved kattara: Are they connected?

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by CharlesS

I think it has been pretty clear beginning with Jim's initial post that "proof" here would be next to impossible. What this has given us the opportunity to do is look carefully at a "yes" to connections between the two swords, and a "no" to the same. In both cases, insightful opinions were made, and I can say I am more learned from both! In our hobby, there are a lot of conceivable "what ifs". It's proof that is the hard part, but that doesn't make the wonder of possibilities any less fun.

Very well put Charles, and thank you. You have really hit on the theme of this entire exercise, in which my posing of the question of possible connections between these three sword 'forms' was admittedly somewhat specious.
What followed was exactly what I hoped for...literally the 'top guns' offering their valuable insight and rebuttals in a perfectly useful and constructive discourse.


Along with you, I must say that I am more learned from this as well, and while we have not come up with any conclusive resolution, we now have better perspective of what is and what isn't and why.

Thank you so much guys!

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

To give an idea of scale and time/distance ...but moreover the strategic position as a pivot / springboard between West and East Africa view this map ...Further clues to west east Mandinka movement are noted at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandinka_people

[Jim McDougall]

So it would seem that the motivation for Manding movement, though on a more individual scale and incidental rather than a systemic trade movement would perhaps be religiously driven. That is since they are primarily Muslim, the Hadj, and on these caravan trips, I believe persons brought wares and items they would sell to finance their passage.
This is a more feasible idea than massive groups of certain people moving in an almost diaspora like movement for trade or other purposes.

The trade interactions within Saharan regions seem to have also been facilitated by other nomadic groups and territorial tribal movements within certain regional boundaries and their interactions. The Manding people are actually numerous tribes or groups situated in numerous West African countries.
Further East, in Saharan regions, there are tribes such as the Hausa, who are well known blacksmiths and metal workers and account for many of the swords and weapons produced and traded through many tribal groups as well as the caravans.

These are my understandings at least, so I will be grateful for any elucidation required of course.

I had forgotten about the pilgrimage element, which I believe was more an incidental factor in the occurrence of disparite weaponry across the continent of Africa, and which may have triggered certain influences in those of varied other regions. This seems to have been the case with the s'boula of Morocco, which appeared in Abyssinia in number enough to have been presumed an Abyssinian weapon and so classified in some references.
Its travel even continued into Zanzibar, where first Demmin (1877) then Burton (1884) thought it to be a Zanzibar weapon.

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Jim McDougall

So it would seem that the motivation for Manding movement, though on a more individual scale and incidental rather than a systemic trade movement would perhaps be religiously driven. That is since they are primarily Muslim, the Hadj, and on these caravan trips, I believe persons brought wares and items they would sell to finance their passage.
This is a more feasible idea than massive groups of certain people moving in an almost diaspora like movement for trade or other purposes.

The routes operated a little differently, hajj caravans were organized from key cities such as Kano. This is more of a late 18th and early 19th century phenomenon. Prior to this typically a hajj was organized by a ruler who would take an entourage but was far less common for the average person.

It was typical for a notable figure such as a merchant or religious scholar to lead the caravan and typically this included stops in the main cities of the lands they passed through to acquire letters for safe conduct and to solicit alms.

This is not to say that some commerce didn't occur but there was some degree of reliance on charity as mentioned.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Iain

The routes operated a little differently, hajj caravans were organized from key cities such as Kano. This is more of a late 18th and early 19th century phenomenon. Prior to this typically a hajj was organized by a ruler who would take an entourage but was far less common for the average person.

It was typical for a notable figure such as a merchant or religious scholar to lead the caravan and typically this included stops in the main cities of the lands they passed through to acquire letters for safe conduct and to solicit alms.

This is not to say that some commerce didn't occur but there was some degree of reliance on charity as mentioned.

Thank you Iain, it is always good to get your perspective as I don't think anyone has studied the dynamics of these North African regions with the tenacity you have. I would understand the Hadj situation as being more a 'modern' matter (18th-19thc) and it makes sense that Hadj caravans would be guided by religious or notable figures. I had thought that the sale of personal items (brought intentionally for such purpose) would take place as well as seeking alms. Still, the point is the movement of often regional types of weapon into areas where they are not commonly known.

[Edster]

In line with Iain's comment, here's an excellent reference in West African hajj.

"The Hajj From West Africa From a Global Historical Perspective (19th and 20th Centuries)." African Diaspora 5:187-214. 2012.
Baz Lecocq

See pages 191-192 for 20th cent. long cycle pilgrimages w/labor migration and that during the 19th Cent. merchants, the wealthy, etc. were the primary pilgrims.

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Edster

In line with Iain's comment, here's an excellent reference in West African hajj.

"The Hajj From West Africa From a Global Historical Perspective (19th and 20th Centuries)." African Diaspora 5:187-214. 2012.
Baz Lecocq

See pages 191-192 for 20th cent. long cycle pilgrimages w/labor migration and that during the 19th Cent. merchants, the wealthy, etc. were the primary pilgrims.

Thank you for sharing this reference Ed. It is most helpful for those of us who wish to continue researching this topic.
BTW: Your next installment on kaskaras shared in separate thread is OUTSTANDING!!!

[Jim McDougall]

Originally Posted by Iain

The routes operated a little differently, hajj caravans were organized from key cities such as Kano. This is more of a late 18th and early 19th century phenomenon. Prior to this typically a hajj was organized by a ruler who would take an entourage but was far less common for the average person.

It was typical for a notable figure such as a merchant or religious scholar to lead the caravan and typically this included stops in the main cities of the lands they passed through to acquire letters for safe conduct and to solicit alms.

This is not to say that some commerce didn't occur but there was some degree of reliance on charity as mentioned.

Thank you Iain, that sounds like a most reasonable description of the Hadj caravans, and honestly I had not considered that these would have operated independently and likely via perhaps different routes than commercial ones. Obviously their ajendas would be different.
I think that with these caravans comprehensively however, the diffusion of these regional weapons, however incidental, would constitute some notable presence over time. Obtaining safe conduct is a good point, and the barter of these weapons even as novelties seems a good likelihood.

Again, I think that weapons which in effect are 'exotic' or foreign and worn as swords of 'distinction' would present an admired convention to individuals in these transactions. This might be compared for example to English merchants and dignitaries proudly wearing Ceylonese kastane, or Moroccan 'nimcha'. With these, much as with the long hilt kattara and Manding sabres these were swords of distinction, not necessarily for fighting. Just as with European court swords and small swords, in a situation they could likely be pressed into use.

[Ibrahiim al Balooshi]

Reference;
A. http://takouba.org/catalog/index.php/what-is-a-takouba


The question is still only about two thirds answered since no mention of the Tuaregs. Therefor ~ if as has been accepted on the thread there was indeed a cultural understanding between Mande and Sudanic regions via trade religion and war... what was the relationship with the other important part of the question at #1 >>>>The part about Tuaregs? From atkinsons-swords I include viz;

Quote"The Tuareg hang sheathed swords from their shoulders or wear them low at their hips. This leather and metal scabbard is decorated with cutwork and stamped, pierced and engraved designs. The takuba has been adopted for wear by prosperous men of numerous ethnic groups in Sudanic Africa. The smiths, “Ineden”, who make and mount these swords are predominantly of Negroid Sudanic African ancestry, and form a separate caste which has its own secret language “ténet”. Members of the blacksmith caste do not intermarry with the Tuaregs and are often regarded as possessing dark mystic powers".Unquote.

Paragraph 4 of reference poses a question of how much was this sword a weapon and how much was it for prestige and show? Is it related to the MENDING sword?

[Iain]

Originally Posted by Ibrahiim al Balooshi

Reference;
A. http://takouba.org/catalog/index.php/what-is-a-takouba


The question is still only about two thirds answered since no mention of the Tuaregs. Therefor ~ if as has been accepted on the thread there was indeed a cultural understanding between Mande and Sudanic regions via trade religion and war... what was the relationship with the other important part of the question at #1 >>>>The part about Tuaregs? From atkinsons-swords I include viz;

Quote"The Tuareg hang sheathed swords from their shoulders or wear them low at their hips. This leather and metal scabbard is decorated with cutwork and stamped, pierced and engraved designs. The takuba has been adopted for wear by prosperous men of numerous ethnic groups in Sudanic Africa. The smiths, “Ineden”, who make and mount these swords are predominantly of Negroid Sudanic African ancestry, and form a separate caste which has its own secret language “ténet”. Members of the blacksmith caste do not intermarry with the Tuaregs and are often regarded as possessing dark mystic powers".Unquote.

Paragraph 4 of reference poses a question of how much was this sword a weapon and how much was it for prestige and show? Is it related to the MENDING sword?

As my own website has been referenced I will respond. Firstly, the question asked has several flaws.

1. The takouba is not exclusive to the Tuareg

2. It does not originate with the Tuareg

3. Perhaps the most important point, it is disingenuous to conflate a sword associated with societal rank and swords which were not used for combat.

Associating swords with class position and restrictions on who can carry them is a practice found throughout the Medieval world. You cannot assume that a sword is not a combat weapon simply because it also serves as a symbol of rank. The same applies to the Manding swords and sabres.

To be clear, the takouba was a combat weapon, there is a multitude of sources for this including colonial accounts of its use. there are still occasional disputes between Fulani herders and farmers over land rights which see swords used.

The Manding sword form and takouba are only related in so far as they occasionally share trade blades.

I have already made clear in previously posts in this thread the nature and origin of curved blades in takouba mounts.

Just to touch on one last flawed assumption in this thread, lack of a guard has never precluded combat use, from the shashka to the Maciejowski choppers.