Azaghvana E-Book 2003 - Flipbook - Page 385
Plate 59k: NDANGE – used by ngwa garda
A celebratory iron sickle or knife which belongs to the family of Fshaped 'throwing knives', but this one was not thrown, despite it
possibly representing a bird. Instead it was carried by the ngwa
garda in the right hand during the first step of the second stage of
dzum zugune. We do not know whether they took their ndange on
the competitive run downhill, but doubt it, and infer here that it was
perhaps exchanged for the tikwa ghriɓa, the decorated two-metre
long wooden stick presented in Plate 59i.
Plate 59l: MAGRATA – carried by ngwa yiye
Forged iron sword with bevelled edge and woven leather handle with
internal padding. Each ngwa yiye held up a magrata sword and a
fighting stick (kiɓa) in a threatening manner while they ran together
across Fkagh Gwatadhe. There they forced the ngwa garda, who
were at the other side, to kneel in respect of their senior position.
The ngwa yiye not only wore their darke (indigo robe) but also war
helmets (kba) which they had covered with sheepskin and other
decorative items hung around.
Facial makeup:
Figure 23a: Wushighwe – used by men anticipating dzum zugune
Facial makeup was most likely made from ochre. It went
across the nose in males and across the forehead in females. It
was used by young men (married or unmarried) who had not
yet performed dzum zugune. They were referred to as
gabajuwala, while young women (unmarried) were referred
to as vjardghawa. We do not know whether the young
unmarried women wore the facial make-up as shown in our
sketch, and neither do we know whether the same facial
make-up was also used for both genders in other contexts.
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