Having cut and prepared branches from an elim tree, Loura begins carving them into spear shafts with assistance from Ekori. Throughout the day, the two men try different spear heads with different pieces of wood, before long they settle on an arrangement that works.
Session
C004Rights owner
Samuel Frederick DerbyshireCultural group
TurkanaParticipants
Loura Echuman Ekaale, Ekori Akwarangimoe LomanatCountry
KenyaPlace
Morusipo, TurkanaItem/object
Spear (akwara)Techniques of production
Carved, Cut-chip-cutMaterials
Wood-persimmon (Diospyros scabra)Materials alt
ElimCultural context/event
General productionSocial group setting
Craftspeople working togetherLocation
HomeTemporality
The construction of spears has long been an integral component of daily life in Turkana, and a skill that most adult men possess. In the deeper past, spears would have been constructed on a far more regular basis, up until the 1960s-70s most men would carry two spears on their person when moving about the landscape. In more recent years, the construction of spears has become less common in line with their declining ubiquity in everyday mundane activities (and the proliferation of semi-automatic weapons). Nevertheless, they remain integral to asapan, and a variety of other important rituals and ceremonies. The metal spear components utilised on this occasion were purchased from Lodwar and probably initially came from Samburu communities in Maralal. Far from reflecting any recent transformation in the production of spears in Turkana, this articulates a long history of trade and exchange with external, metal producing communities. Throughout history, Turkana communities have never produced metal locally, relying instead on variety of neighbouring populations for this commodity. Moreover, the purchase of spear heads and bases from Lodwar has long been a common activity, most probably dating back to Lodwar’s emergence as a regional administrative centre during the early colonial era.Date of creation
2020-03-02Unique ID
2019LG02-C004-0400
