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African Shields

 

Burundi - Congo - Rwanda - South Africa - Swaziland - Uganda

 

 

Contact us for information on these objects, larger resolution pictures and/or prices.

 

 

 

Ganda Shield - Uganda

 

Circa 1920

 

    

 

This old Ganda shield was re-discovered in  Europe. 

 

It is written in AFRICAN SHIELDS by Dieter Plaschke and Manfred A. Zirngibl, pg 87:

 

Of all the previously portrayed wicker-covered shields, the Uganda shields in ill. 79-81 are the most striking. Typically, the surfaces of these lentil-shaped shields were always flexed along their vertical middle axis, thus forming mirror images on both halves, and having a wooden projection, conical in shape, protruding out of the middle. 

 

They were carried by the Ganda (Baganda, Waganda) north of Lake Victoria and by the Soga (Busoga) in the district of Busoga to the northeast of the Lake. On account of the high artistic quality of their workmanship and their elegant wickerwork ornamentation, many of these shields had already come into the possession of European museums before the turn of the century where they were regarded as impressive examples of contemporary African shield designs.

 

 

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The wickerwork is in extremely fine condition for it's age.

 

 

     

 

Drawings pre-date 1885

 

 

The following two examples are offered as a Pair...

 

 

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Ganda Shields - Circa 1950

 

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sheild african weapons zulu shields sheilds ceremonial shields zulu south african artifact southern africa southern african antique artefact vintage artefacts ken karner artifacts

 

 

 

       

Lega or  Fuliro Ceremonial Shield

 

Circa 1900

 

   

 

Daniel Biebuyck, in The Arts of Zaire, Vol. II: Eastern Zaire; says such shields were used ceremonially by the Rega or Lega -  Mwami Society.  A well known shield collector advises that the Fuliro also used them.

 

 

Our small hand held ceremonial shield has a conical projection at it's center, is decorated with wickerwork, which includes a braded handle. Shields of larger proportions were used in the east of the Congo, Uganda, Burundi Rwanda and western Tanzania. This example is most unusual in that it is not entirely covered with whicker. 

 

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Ngombe / Poto Shield - Congo - DRC

 

 Circa 1900

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Extraordinarily solid wickerwork designed to protect the body during hand to hand warfare.

 

The Ngombe (Gombe) live in the north of the Equateur Province in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, between the Ubangi and Congo rivers. This area is well known for an abundance of a wide range of weapons.

   

 

 

The wooden hand grip on this old shield remains perfectly intact.

 

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Swazi Shields

 

Lihawu -  Sihlangu

 

 

By Gordon Crawford

 

The Swazi war shield is typically Nguni in design. It is distinctly rounded compared to the Zulu, Ngoni Shangaan and Matabele shields, which are elongated. The "lihawu" or "sihlangu" consists of a spherical ox hide that is slightly pointed at the top and bottom. It is usually wider than a man's shoulders. A wooden shaft or "mgobo" is affixed to this hide by broad rawhide strips. These trips are threaded through numerous short horizontal cuts in the ox hide. It is these horizontal cuts and strip that give Nguni shields their characteristic pattern of narrow alternating bands.

 

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A striking complete Swazi shield from the Inkanyete regiment.

 

Continued - by Gordon Crawford

 

One of these rawhide strips forms the off-centre handle by protruding slightly. This handle is carried in the left hand so that the shield can protect the entire body, leaving the right hand free for fighting. The shaft is twice the length of the ox hide, and functions as reinforcing to the shield along with the rawhide strips. Attached to the lower end of the shaft is a decorative pompom of feathers or "dada" and called "injobo". A second feather pompom is attached to the right lower part of the ox hide. The top of the shaft has a short sheath of spotted genet skin that is about three fingers wide. This genet skin is cut in a strip and wrapped around the shaft. It is then held in position at each end by a circlet of string that is sewn onto the shaft and held by threading through a hole in the shaft. All traditional Nguni shields have genet skin wrapped around the top of the stick.

 

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              Sobhuza Paramount Chief                                                  Swazi Warrior

 

Photographs - The Ivy's Albums  - Circa 1920's

 

 

Continued - by Gordon Crawford

 

A third decorative feather pompom or animal skin ball "inhlangu" is loosely tied above the genet cat skin. The animal skin used on the "inhlangu" indicates membership to a particular regiment. The "Balondolozi" or "Masotja" regiment has jackal skin. The "Inkanyete" regiment uses simango monkey skin and the "Inyatsi regiment has baboon skin.

 

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Galerie Ezakwantu offers this stunning Swazi shield from the Inyatsi regiment.

 

Continued - by Gordon Crawford

 

The colors of the cow skin used in the shield also indicate the owner's membership in a particular regiment. The "Balondonlozi" / "Masotja" regiment uses a white shield with small black speckles. The "Inkanyete" regiment has a two-tone shield of black and white. Finally the "Inyatsi" regiment has a white shield with red/brown spots. This color code however seems to be falling away, and some young members of traditional regiments are not even aware of it.

 

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Swaziland's shield appears horizontally on their national flag, complete with pompoms.

 

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Galerie Ezakwantu

 

World leaders in aesthetically pleasing, authentic tribal art from Southern Africa.

 

 

Contact Galerie Ezakwantu for larger resolution images, availability and prices of items.

 

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