Arrow

About this object

History of use

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 the reciprocity.

Cultural context

hunting; warfare; ceremonial

Physical description

An arrow shaft, 79 cm. long, made of a variety of pitpit (sword grass). Light brown near the fore-shaft, darkening to black at the end from a coating of a black substance. The fore-shaft of black palm wood, 24.5 cm. long between the point and the shaft, is incised with a pattern of elongated dots and wavy lines coated with red ochre. The fore-shaft is bound to the shaft with sleeve of woven rattan 2 cm. wide. The long point is of hollow bone with a broken tip, bound to the fore-shaft with a sleeve of woven rattan.