Hunting Arrows
Angola - DRC Congo -
Zambia
Chokwe Peoples - Jose
Redinha 1930 / 1950's - Dundo Museum - Angola
Bows
and arrows were used for hunting and also as weapons. Environment played
a large part in their design and usage. Small arrows were favoured in the
deep jungle forest of central Congo. The smallest of the forest
variety were found at Ituri.
Further south in present day Botswana,
the San Bushman's miniature bow and arrows were used in divination. Dr. David Livingstone made
three trips to present day Zambia between 1851 and 1855 making observations. Of
their graves he wrote; "On the grave itself, they also place water-bottles,
broken pipes, cooking vessels, and sometimes a little bow and arrow".
Click on an image to enlarge.
This is arrow set number 367. It and the others each include a
custom mount. The mounts are self-supporting, or can like a picture,
be wall mounted. This example was built with a Perspex
upper grip.
South of the rainforest, in the savannahs with open terrain, more
powerful bows were required as the target distance was longer. (Angola - Congo - Western
Zambia). In 1853 David Livingstone recorded that bows might be six
feet long, while iron headed arrows measured over thirty inches.
The bowstring was made from animal gut. Arrows were called
mungamba or mwevu. Travelers carried a bow with
arrows, even when making short journeys.

"Across Africa - 1885" - Commander Verney Lovett Cameron, C.B., D.C.L.
Commander Cameron viewed and sketched the arrows above in 1873, when crossing Livingstone's
earlier
path. The
Chokwe, Lwena, Luvale, Lucahazi Mbunda and Ovimbundu groups all used
these fantastically varied arrow heads.
Alfred Schachtzabel 1913-1914
Field Museum of Natural History Vol. XXI. Plate XVII
Large buck were hunted by
men in groups of five or six yelping dogs to scare up
the game. The arrowheads were designed to leave large gaping wounds. Once
injured, the weakening prey was easier to track. Arrowheads
had personalized names, such as a "line of hunters" or likanzo. Other names were
derived from everyday objects, even those found in the sky, such as the new moon
Bwonde. One of the most complicated forms was known locally as
kapyasa, which means the "Swallow".

Wooden knob heads were named Ndavi and used to knock
down both large and small birds (top). Livingstone also reported
that those arrows having neatly barbed wooden heads 'lihangu' were used in
cases where a hunter might not be quite certain of it's recovery
(centre). A third wooden pronged variety was used to catch small fish
(bottom).
Click on an image to enlarge.
Arrow Set 8317 - The second Ndavi head on the right 'used to kill
birds', was made from an engine value.
When the arrow-smith lived near flowing water, arrow shafts were made from
strong reed. Further away, hard wood was whittled down. The
arrowheads were
inserted, then bound to the arrow with fibre, wire or a carved root
called mukenge. Because of it's resistance to deterioration,
plastic taken from grain bags became popular. A dark
beeswax was applied to firm the bindings.
H. Westerdijk
Field Work - Manuel Jordan - Zambia - 1990's
Alfred Schachtzabel
From
the early 20th century, the use of bows and arrows declined. This
was due to the wide spread use of firearms, resulting in the over killing of
wildlife and the colonial suppression of tribal warfare. Over
time,
the skills needed to make or use these weapons were lost.
Click on an image to
enlarge.
Arrow Set 9746 - The arrow on the far
right represents the 'Line of Hunters'. The three centre arrows were
named Ntonga. The heart shaped arrow on the far left was
called chimbilyangombe, or the frog. The same name is given
to the left example of set 8317.

This set of arrows
was collected in Western Zambia during the early 90's, then offered
at auction at Bonhams London. Our mounted arrow sets are priced at
US$550.oo, which includes excellent professional packaging
and airmail insured postage.

Lunda Hunter
We can also offer this
un-mounted bow and arrow set, which is from the southern Congo - DRC.
Click on an image to
enlarge.
The readers attention is
drawn to the wooden barbed arrow tip of the tallest arrow, which Livingstone
described during the mid 19th century.

There are other uses
for arrows, but lets not go there. In the meantime, don't drink and drive!
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