Swazi Battle Axe
Tribe: Swazi
Country: Swazi Kingdom, Southern Africa
Material: Wood, Metal, Wire
Size: 42" Tall
According to Swazi oral tradition these axes were weapons kept in reserve after having used up one’s throwing spears. This is unlike the Zulu one, which may have been merely a prestige display symbol, restricted to military commanders with royal blood. It is a common Swazi weapon yet rare among the Zulu. Oral tradition also mentions these axes were often hidden behind a warrior’s shield. The intention was to lure the enemy out into the open by enticing them to attack seemingly unarmed men. When carried by a Swazi warrior the axe is held in a vertical position, with the right hand at the end of the haft. The elbow is bent so that the fist is near the shoulder. In this position they are easily used against any potential foe. When walking they are still carried in this upright manner and are rocked slightly to and fro in an exaggerated swagger. Today they are considered an essential part of warrior attire at weddings and the annual Reed Dance. Generally Swazi battle-axes consist of an attractive ‘swallow tail’ or V shaped iron blade imbedded into a straight wood haft by a round iron tang. The old battleaxes had blades forged by expert blacksmiths from single pieces of iron. These blacksmiths appear to have passed away during the early 1900s without training replacements, resulting in less robust axes being made since. |
