Knife "bwambwa" - Ngbaka - DR Congo

Old Ngbaka knife "bwambwa"
Democratic Republic of the Congo
Total height: 44.5 cm
Period: early 20th century (probably late 19th century)
Provenance: Swedish auction house; ex collection Sven-Erik Johansson, Varberg - Sweden

This knife model was invented by the Ngbaka, but adopted and widely used by the Ngombe. The Ngbaka told how their cultural hero, Seto, wore one, and they described it as the 'wife' of another of their blades, the za sali, which was the husband.

The manufacture of Ngbaka knives required several days of forge work and was costly. Although they can be used effectively as weapons, their value makes such an act impractical; Westerdijk wrote: "its owner would only throw it as a last resort, or when he believed he had a good chance of recovering it." Consequently, the main role of this weapon was that of an emblem of power, wealth, and prestige. Known under the name ngwolo or bwambwa, this type of weapon was mainly worn by village chiefs, elders of the lineage, and other notables as a symbol of prestige. They were brandished at important funerals, used during initiation ceremonies, and even worn by the police during the colonial period (Westerdijk, The African Throwing Knife, 1988).

Last photograph of an Ngbaka chief and his knife.

Delivery insured - Bpost.