Origin: Tuareg (Niger, Mali)

Local name: takuba (Tamashek language)

Dating: mid-20^th century.

Dimensions:
MŻo/A/4026/a-b: sword: length 90.0 cm, width 10.0 cm, dia. handles 2.0 cm scabbard: length 76.2 cm, width 3.4 cm, depth 1.2 cm
MŻo/A/4027/a-b: sword: length 90.5 cm, width 11.8 cm, dia. handles 1.8 cm scabbard: length 75.5 cm, width 5.7 cm, depth 1.6
MŻo/A/4028/a-b: sword: length 89.5 cm, width 13.8 cm, dia. handles 1.9 cm scabbard: length 80 cm, width 5.7 cm, depth 1.9
MŻo/A/4029/a-b: sword: length 90.0 cm, width 12.5 cm, dia. handles 1.8 cm scabbard: 76.6 cm, width 4.9 cm, depth 1.5 cm

Made of: metal, leather, wood

Techniques: blacksmithing

Obtained by:
MŻo/A/4026/a-b: Adam Rybiński, unknown, (Mali, Niger), 2005-2009.
MŻo/A/4027/a-b: Adam Rybiński, auction, Paris (France), 2010.
MŻo/A/4028/a-b: Adam Rybiński, auction, Paris (France), 2010.
Żo/A/4029/a-b: Adam Rybiński, art and craft store, Agadez (Niger), 2006

Description:

The Tuaregs, as warlike Saharan shepherds, rarely waged wars with other peoples, and attacks on other Tuareg groups dominated. The main goal of robbery expeditions (ahhar) was to rob an unexpectedly attacked camp, caravan or small agricultural center [Rybiński 1999: 142].

The basic element of the weapon, apart from spears, shields and daggers, were swords (takuba) - an object of particular pride of the owner. Even in the 1950s, most Tuaregs carried swords and other weapons. "European travelers, soldiers and later researchers were mainly interested in 'takouba' swords, often marked with armorers' marks, decorated with inscriptions and sometimes with ornaments not found in African crafts" [Sztrantowicz 1999: 442].

The blade is elongated, double-edged, over 70 cm long, with a streak running down the middle (a groove, a furrow), sometimes on the sides there are two smaller ones. The crossguard (ezir) most often has the shape of a rectangle made of metal and covered with leather, very often decorated with geometric ornaments that are barely visible (due to use). A simple cylindrical handle, also covered with leather, the typical head is often decorated with a cone made of layered pieces of sheet metal made of various metals riveted at the end [Łapott 1999: 421]. "There is a belief among the 'enaden' craftsmen of the northern Tuareg groups that all leather dyeing and decorating techniques are borrowed from the south, and in particular from the Iullemneden federation of tribes" [Sztrantowicz 1999: 455].

Traditional takuba swords are made by blacksmiths living in the settlements and cities of the Sahel. The heads of some swords have 16th or 17th century European origin [Rybiński 2015: 74]. Some researchers trace Tuareg swords to Toledan armorers who left Spain with the Reconquista (the fight of Christians to drive the Arabs out of the Iberian Peninsula in the 8th-15th centuries).

In the distant past (based on oral tradition, it is difficult to establish a precise date, perhaps it dates back to the 19th century), swords, along with spears, were used for hunting. Thus, in Aïr, the Tuaregs of the Kel Ferwan group claimed that wild animals were sometimes killed with the sword and claimed that two Tuaregs in the past had killed lions with the sword [Nicolaisen 1963: 167].

In the first half of the 20th century, you can hear the saying: “What does a noble Tuareg want? A white camel, a red saddle, a sword and a violin in the court of love” [Gabus 1958: 244]. It reflects what is most important in the life of a real aristocratic man. The everyday life of the Tuareg has undergone serious changes, and they cannot always come to terms with them. In Mali and Burkina Faso, Tuareg men proudly carry their swords at their sides. In Algeria, to the outrage of the local Tuaregs, this custom was banned [Rybiński 2015: 74]. This saying can be found in contemporary Tuareg poetry:

“What does a nobleman want?
White Mehari
Red's saddle sword
 And a knight's love song

 What does a nobleman want today?
Bowl of rice
Shelter covers
His sword as a souvenir

And the hope for survival” [Rybiński 2015: 74].

The second stanza of the poem, full of bitterness, illustrates the process of pauperization of this people and the disappearance of traditional culture. This is one of the causes of many revolts and rebellions in the areas inhabited by Tuaregs in the 20th century.

Nowadays, swords are no longer the basis of weapons. In traditional communities, they are still an element of prestige. However, swords made for the tourist market dominate; the sword itself is made sloppily, made of poor quality steel, and is not suitable for fighting. The scabbard is usually richly decorated with geometric ornaments. Their primary task is to influence the aesthetics of the customer, which is why they are richly decorated. The shape of swords offered on the tourist market has also changed. These are no longer rectangular swords in the Tuareg style, but semi-circular ones like the Arabic saber, sometimes fancifully called "Sinbad's sabers" by sellers. The ornaments used for decoration also do not always correspond to traditional Tuareg.

Bibliography:

Gabus Jean, 1958, Au Sahara. Arts et symboles, Neuchâtel: A la Baconnière.

Nicolaisen Johannes, 1963, Ecology and Culture of the Pastoral Tuareg with Particular Reference to the Tuareg of Ahaggar and Ayr, Copenhagen: The National Museum of Copenhagen.

Łapott Jacek, 1999, Tuaredzy i ich kultura w zbiorach Muzeum Narodowego w Szczecinie, „Materiały Zachodniopomorskie” v. 44, pp. 387-438.

Rybiński Adam, 1999, Tuaregowie z Sahary, Warszawa: Wydawnictwa Akademickie Dialog.

Rybiński Adam, 2015, Błękitne miraże. Kolekcja tuareska Adama Rybińskiego, Warszawa: Państwowe Muzeum Etnograficzne.

Rybiński Adam, information provided during interviews (2020-2022).

Sztrantowicz Marek, 1999, Takuba – dzieje miecza, „Materiały Zachodniopomorskie” v. 44, pp. 439-460.

Edited by Lucjan Buchalik

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The purchase is co-financed by the Ministry of Culture, National Heritage and Sport as part of the National Institute of Museums and Collections' own program "Expansion of museum collections".