Makraka Drawn...

Art by TL Jeffcoat

I've been writing my fingers off, but I squeezed in some art time by completing the Makraka, and made some more progress on the Hussite War Wagon. Here is the Makraka, check out the original post it's been attached to for more.

Next week, I'm planning to post a new Weapons & Warriors. When I'm not working on that, I'll be working on the new chapters for Devil Dog. Have a great 4th of July world.

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.