Weapons & Warriors: The Living Nightmares of the Congo

Art by Steven DeVon Jones

The Azande people were expansionist tribes. The name Azande in fact means “The People who rule much land.” Their warriors were the fiercest in the region of Africa from Sudan to the Congo. The Azande weapons of choice were frightening enough, but what made the Zande Warrior a nightmare come to life was the legends that grew around them.

The Zande Warriors were masters of psychological warfare. They sharpened their teeth and rushed into battle shouting “Nyam Nyam.” Outsiders called the Zande Warriors Niam-Niam, which means great eaters. The Azande played up this myth and would sometimes carve up the dead and make them appear is if they had been half eaten. The Azande took no prisoners and many of their neighbors believed they were cannibals. It's hard to stand against a warrior that you truly believe is going to eat you if he gets the chance. The term Niam-Niam today is an expression of disapproval and criticism and is no longer embraced by the modern Azande peoples.

Weapons & Warriors: The Makraka of the Zande Warrior

Although the Makrigga and Kpinga were the first weapons a Zande Warrior reached for in a fight, they had another weapon that was as intimidating to look at as the other two. They had their own nightmarish version of a short sword they called the Makraka.

The handle was made of wood and bound with animal hides. The hammered iron blade was shaped like a sickle and was swung in a similar motion. The tip of the blade was thicker and heavier than the central portion of the blade. Unlike other sickle related swords used in Arabian lands and southern Europe, the Makraka was only sharpened on the interior portion of the blade.

The blade was specially designed to remove limbs with ease, like a more extreme version of the Spartan Kopis. This gave the weapon a dual purpose in that it was wicked looking and deadly weapon in combat, and afterwards it was used to remove the heads of prisoners. We’ll get into that ritual next week when I talk about the Azande’s use of psychological warfare against their enemies.

Weapons & Warriors: The Makrigga of the Zande Warrior

No two cultures seem to make the spear the same way or with the same materials. The Azande people were no exception. They called their special iron tipped spear the Makrigga.

The Makrigga has to be one of the most terribly vicious spears ever designed. Unlike most spears made in the world, if the victim survived the piercing, they would be better off not pulling the spear out of the wound. With most of the spears in Asia, Europe, or America; even at the risk of bleeding out, you might have a chance to live longer if the spear is removed. This was not the case with the Makrigga.

You would be better off not attempting to remove it at all without a surgeon assisting you. You could try forcing it completely through like an oversized arrow, but seven feet (more than 2 meters) of wood is no small weapon to shove through your body. You would need help if you planned to push the spear through and to break it. The wooden shaft would be pretty hard to break by yourself without causing more damage hacking away at it. Don't forget the other problem with pushing something through that hasn't already pierced completely through, the risk of cutting something you might need to live.

Weapons & Warriors: The Strychnine Arrow of the Zande Warrior

You might ask yourself, what is so special about an arrow? Why not a bow? To simply put it, the standard bow that the Zande Warrior used in battle was just like most standard archaic bows. It’s a hard material, either bone or wood that is flexible enough to bend. Then a strand of horse hair or other animal hair is tied to either end to create a slingshot effect when pulled. That was the simplest way I know of describing the construction of a bow.

However, the bow is not my focus in this post. Zande warriors trained with bows as did many people of the Azande. It was a hunting tool as much as a weapon. What was different with the Zande Warrior firing a bow was that his arrow had an extra ingredient. It is something common enough that it is still easily accessible today and still as dangerous.



You have probably heard of Strychnine. This stuff is real nasty, too. Not only is it painful, it will keep you awake and alert until you actually die a slow agonizing death. Once introduced into your blood stream, Strychnine will basically cause uncontrollable muscle spasms. That includes all of your muscles, your face, abdomen, and eventually your lungs.