Taumangaria

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Taumangaria
Épées garnies de dents de requins ligaturées, îles Gilbert (Musée d'Aquitaine) .jpg
Information
Weapon type: Cutting weapon
Designations: Taumangaria, shark tooth sword
Use: sword
Region of origin /
author: 		Indonesia , ethnic groups of Kiribati , Micronesia , Polynesia
Distribution: Kiribati
Overall length: about 64 cm
Handle: Wood, coconut fiber
Particularities: The cutting edge is made up of shark teeth
Lists on the subject

The Taumangaria (also: Te taumangaria , Tetaumangaria , from the Gilbertese word meaning mangaria, branch fork) is one of the most dangerous traditional weapons of the Gilbertese, today Kiribati , which could appear in the form of a shark tooth sword with two rows of teeth (as rere ) or as a shark tooth long spear (as Te unum ).

description

The Taumangaria consists of palm or another hardwood such as mangrove wood and has a main and then one or more side blades, here in the common shape of a trident. A notch is carved into the blades on the upper and lower sides, into the teeth of a lagoon shark, often a tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier). The teeth are glued in with a natural resin and additionally fastened with strings made of coconut fibers. The necessary holes are made with a drill bit.

The variety of different shark tooth weapons is remarkable. They range from brass knuckles (see shark tooth brass knuckles) and shark tooth gloves (Samoa), to daggers , axes , one and two-handed swords up to six meter long spears . These weapons are very effective, especially due to the native fighting style.

There are many versions of the Taumangaria that differ in length, shape and design, the fork is decisive, either made of grown wood or with attached blades.

For protection, the inhabitants of Kiribati used armor made of coconut fibers ( Kiribati coconut armor ), which could neutralize the effects of the shark tooth weapons. This Te tanga ni buaka , translated: war armor, called full-body armor, had such a density that rifle bullets at that time, around 1850, could not penetrate them.

  • Gilbertese warriors with taumangaria, shark tooth sword and coconut fiber war armor, 1841

  • Easy fork

See also

literature

  • George Cameron Stone : A glossary of the construction, decoration and use of arms and armor in all countries and in all times. Forword by Donald J. LaRocca. Dover Publications, Mineola NY 1999, ISBN 0-486-40726-8 (first edition 1934, on topic: pp. 608-609 and Figures 779 and 780).
  • Gerd Koch : Material culture of the Gilbert Islands. Nonouti, Tabiteuea, Onotoa. Museum für Völkerkunde, Berlin 1965 ( Publications of the Museum für Völkerkunde, Berlin. Department: Südsee 3 = Publications of the Museum für Völkerkunde Berlin. NF 6, ISSN  0522-9766 ), (On the subject: Chapter: Weapons, pp. 193–197, with pictures).
  • Max Jähns : Development history of the old defensive weapons. Mittler, Berlin 1899 (On the subject: p. 194).
  • Nick Evangelista : The encyclopedia of the sword. Greenwood Press, Westport CT 1995, ISBN 0-313-27896-2 .
  • Thomas A. Green (Ed.): Martial arts of the world. To encyclopedia. 2 volumes. ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara CA 2001, ISBN 1-576-07150-2 .

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ George Cameron Stone : A Glossary of the Construction, Decoration and Use of Arms and Armor: in All Countries and in All Times. Reprint: Dover Publications, Mineola, New York 1999, ISBN 978-0-486-40726-5 , p. 609 and Fig. 779.