Sword

Item number K4.31 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

Public

Item Records

This page shows all the information we have about this item. Both the institution that physically holds this item, and RRN members have contributed the knowledge on this page. You’re looking at the item record provided by the holding institution. If you scroll further down the page, you’ll see the information from RRN members, and can share your own knowledge too.

The RRN processes the information it receives from each institution to make it more readable and easier to search. If you’re doing in-depth research on this item, be sure to take a look at the Data Source tab to see the information exactly as it was provided by the institution.

These records are easy to share because each has a unique web address. You can copy and paste the location from your browser’s address bar into an email, word document, or chat message to share this item with others.

Data
Data Source

This information was automatically generated from data provided by MOA: University of British Columbia. It has been standardized to aid in finding and grouping information within the RRN. Accuracy and meaning should be verified from the Data Source tab.

Description

Leather sheath (part a) with thick belt and thin strap. Belt band is decorated with white beads. Long plain blade (part b) with central ridge and blackened handle that tapers to a point.

History Of Use

These long, flat blades (called rohyo rwa njora, Kikuyu, or seme or sime, Maasai) are commonly used in Maasai and Kikuyu communities and are carried by men regularly as personal protection while herding cattle. They are also used for utilitarian purposes, including bush-whacking. A weapon like this would be given to a Maasai man when he transitioned from youth (layok) into manhood (moran), usually between the ages of 15-21; making it a symbol of masculine identity. The scabbard (njora, Kikuyu, or olalem, Maasai) of a blade would usually be dyed red and decorated with glass beads. The use of glass beads demonstrates the sword's value as the Maasai did not traditionally produce glass beads; they were introduced to them through trade.