Antique Zulu or Gaika spear in good condition. Unusual in the fact that it has a spear head on both ends of the wooden shaft. Each tang style spear head is fixed to the shaft with a metal furl which suggests the spear is more likely to be from the Ngqika people, also known as the Gaika tribe since the Zulu spear heads are normally fixed to the shaft using twine.
Would make an excellent addition to any collection of tribal art.
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The Ngqika people are a Xhosa monarchy who lived west of the Great Kei River[1] in what is today the Eastern Cape of South Africa. They were first ruled by Rarabe kaPhalo who died with his son Mlawu, who was destined for chieftaincy. The clan would be named after Ngqika ka Mlawu, the son of the then late Mlawu.[2] It would be years before the child would rule his people who fought in the Xhosa Wars following the invasion of the British and Dutch settlers.[3]
Eastern Frontier, Cape of Good Hope, ca 1835
The Dutch East India Company (VOC) that was responsible for trading and colonising of South African land in what is described as “founding” several urban areas like towns and cities in already populated areas of the west of South Africa. The organisation continually changed the boundaries in the Cape Colony due to European invasion and migration, establishing the Great Fish River as the eastern frontier in 1778.[3]
In colonial times, the Ngqika lands were known as British Kaffraria. Later the Apartheid government gave them a form of independence as the former "Ciskei" homeland.
The clan were referred to as “Gaika” people by the Europeans.
Would make an excellent addition to any collection of tribal art.
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The Ngqika people are a Xhosa monarchy who lived west of the Great Kei River[1] in what is today the Eastern Cape of South Africa. They were first ruled by Rarabe kaPhalo who died with his son Mlawu, who was destined for chieftaincy. The clan would be named after Ngqika ka Mlawu, the son of the then late Mlawu.[2] It would be years before the child would rule his people who fought in the Xhosa Wars following the invasion of the British and Dutch settlers.[3]
Eastern Frontier, Cape of Good Hope, ca 1835
The Dutch East India Company (VOC) that was responsible for trading and colonising of South African land in what is described as “founding” several urban areas like towns and cities in already populated areas of the west of South Africa. The organisation continually changed the boundaries in the Cape Colony due to European invasion and migration, establishing the Great Fish River as the eastern frontier in 1778.[3]
In colonial times, the Ngqika lands were known as British Kaffraria. Later the Apartheid government gave them a form of independence as the former "Ciskei" homeland.
The clan were referred to as “Gaika” people by the Europeans.