Arrow

Used in hunting and warfare, also carried in ritual dancing. Bow and arrow may symbolize metaphorically the Kewa male, especially the aggressive/war aspects as opposed to reciprocity aspects.

hunting; warfare; ceremonial

An arrow shaft, 62.5 cm. long, made of a variety of pitpit or sword grass. The shaft has black coating. The round foreshaft of black palm wood is 25.5 cm.long between bindings. Bound at the insertion into the shaft, there is a sleeve of woven rattan 2 cm. wide and to the point with a band of bark cord 5.5 cm. wide. The palm wood is bound with a narrow sleeve of woven rattan less than 1 cm. wide. The foreshaft is also bound with a narrow sleeve of woven rattan. The bark cord band is coated with grey clay. The point is a solid round bone projection 12.5 cm. beyond the binding and coated with a black substance.