Sword Item Number: K4.5 a-b from the MOA: University of British Columbia
Description
Long leather case (part a) of wood covered with leather, with a belt band that is five rows thick at one end, and one row thick at the other end. Thinner band fits into hole located at the end of the thick band. Long metal blade (part b) with central ridge and brown rounded handle.
History Of Use
These long, flat blades (called seme, sime, or olalem in Maa language) 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 of a seme blade would usually be dyed red and decorated with glass beads.
Item History
- Made in Tanzania
- Owned by Basil G. Hamilton and Mary E. Crawford
- Owned by B.C. Provincial Museum before February 1954
- Received from B.C. Provincial Museum (Transferring institution) during February 1954
What
- Name
- Sword
- Identification Number
- K4.5 a-b
- Type of Item
- sword
- Material
- leather skin, wood and steel metal
- Manufacturing Technique
- forged
- Part A
- height 51.0 cm, width 17.0 cm, depth 4.0 cm
- Part B
- height 44.0 cm, width 4.0 cm, depth 1.2 cm
Who
- Culture
- Maasai
- Previous Owner
- Basil G. Hamilton, Mary E. Crawford and B.C. Provincial Museum
- Received from
- B.C. Provincial Museum (Transferring institution)
Where
- Holding Institution
- MOA: University of British Columbia
- Made in
- Tanzania
When
- Ownership Date
- before February 1954
- Acquisition Date
- during February 1954
Other
- Item Classes
- metalwork
- Condition
- fair
- Accession Number
- 1856/0016 a-b