KIRDI, CAMEROON

‍

African metalworkers have historically been noted for their fabulous ceremonial weaponry. This vast kingdom of objects, both artistically and technically impressive, boasts a dazzling variety of designs that often forgo function in the pursuit of extravagant form.

This handsome Kirdi axe, called manzhi, is an ideal example. It is crafted entirely of brass and was composed, poured and forged using a waste mould process. The flaring, block-shaped blade sports a long, curving tail that represents a rooster – a distinctive design that was likely introduced to the Kirdi by the Fali, for whom the rooster is a sacred animal. Detailed relief work resembling dense braids adorn the bottom edge of the blade and wrap the neck and base of the haft. Several tight spiral motifs are found at the blade’s lower edge. The wide, blank face of the blade shows a lovely visual texture that suggests the subtle rippling of still water or a smooth sand dune.

Like all prestige weapons, the manzhi was a conspicuous status object that signaled its owner’s social rank. Among non-Islamicized tribes in the Adamaua Mountains of northern Cameroon, these brilliant axes appeared at dances and were carried during funerary rites by the closest male relative of the deceased.