Film Zulu: Colour Sergeant Bourne: It's a miracle. Lieutenant John Chard: If it's a miracle, Colour Sergeant, it's a short chamber Boxer Henry point 45 caliber miracle. Colour Sergeant Bourne: And a bayonet, sir, with some guts behind it.
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Was the Knobkerrie or the iklwa carried by warriors as a matter of preference or was there a distinction in the use of one or the other?
Also the throwing spears....were these carried along with a Knobkerrie or Iklwa and if so how many throwing spears were normally carried?
Cheers in advance,
Crimea
SRB1965
Posts : 902 Join date : 2017-05-13 Age : 58 Location : Uttoxeter - the last place God made and he couldn't be bothered to finish it.....
Subject: Re: Zulu Weapons Fri Jul 17, 2020 6:52 am
Hi
I believe the warriors carried what they liked or had.
The iklwa was the favoured weapon but the knobkerrie was popular as well - if a warrior had one - the would probably carry it.
Fighting sticks were a tradition weapon amongst the Zulus, from a young age. Iklwa's were generally not allowed in the presence of the king - that is why when it all kicked off with the uThulwana and inGobamakoshi - they started off clubbing each other until one side ran to their camp to arm themselves with sharper weapons and it all broke loose.
The knobkerrie was seen as a weapon of mercy (or so I have read) and was used to put friends out of their misery, execute 'criminals' etc.
As for the throwing spears it really depended on how big his hands were and how many he owned - myself I wouldn't see it being more than one or two (if at all) - remember the Zulus had no 'baggage' train and had to carry everything themselves (leaving aside the udibi boys) - imagine carrying a shield, maybe a musket, a stabbing spear, a couple of throwing spears, a knobkerrie and snuff spoon.
The Zulus were a tribal culture and had no Regulations as to what to carry.
About the best answer I can give - sorry not be more precise
Ta
Sime
crimea
Posts : 13 Join date : 2020-07-14
Subject: Re: Zulu Weapons Fri Jul 17, 2020 7:59 am
Thanks Sime,
That's answered it perfectly!
Crimea
SRB1965
Posts : 902 Join date : 2017-05-13 Age : 58 Location : Uttoxeter - the last place God made and he couldn't be bothered to finish it.....
Subject: Re: Zulu Weapons Fri Jul 17, 2020 9:47 am
ps - even 'axes' are mentioned (I've seen photos of them in books), as being used by individual warriors - one is portrayed in Fripps Isandlwana - though I feel that these would be rare.
90th
Posts : 10677 Join date : 2009-04-07 Age : 66 Location : Melbourne, Australia
Subject: zulu weapons Sat Jul 18, 2020 12:32 am
Hi Sime and Crimea Axes were used by the more senior ranking warriors , I do have several along with Knobkerries and Spears . 90th