Zulu Shield

 

Isihlangu - Izihlangu

 

 

This Zulu shield dates to 1900 or before. It is made from and Nguni cowhide which exhibits great age. A custom-made iron stand is included. 

 

 

 

 

The shield was found with its carry staff, something which often did not survive.

 

 

 

 

The staff has a rarely seen carved phallic shaped finial, similar to those found on Zulu spoons, both of which are shaped like early collected Zulu Rhino horn ear plugs. The function of the shape allowed for the attachment of a strip of decorative hide which kept it in place. As with most early collect examples, the hair of the hide nearly absent.

 

 

 

 

The leather portion of the shield measures 69 centimetres x 45 centimetres.  The accompanying staff is just over 95 centimetres tall.

 

 

 

 

Swazi Shields

 

Lihawu - Sihlangu

 

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.

 

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Pompoms made from 100's of  feathers obtained from the Lyre Tailed Roller adorn the hide.

 

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.

 

 

     

 

               Sobhuza Paramount Chief                                         Swazi Warrior Circa 1920

 

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.

 

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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This is the third Swazi shield Galerie Ezakwantu has to offer. It is also from the from the Inyatsi, or buffalo regiment. Click the thumbs above to view it's reverse side.

 

 

 

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

 

 

 

 

 

Ganda Shield - Uganda

 

Circa 1920

 

 

 

This old Ganda shield was re-discovered in  Europe. 

 

AFRICAN SHIELDS by Dieter Plaschke and Manfred A. Zirngibl, pg 87 reads:

 

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 examples are offered as a pair...

 

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Ganda Shields - Circa 1950