Ararait Wrist & Ngigolio Finger Knives

  • Ararait Wrist & Ngigolio Finger Knives

  • Ararait Wrist & Ngigolio Finger Knives

  • Ararait Wrist & Ngigolio Finger Knives

  • Ararait Wrist & Ngigolio Finger Knives

  • Ararait Wrist & Ngigolio Finger Knives

  • Ararait Wrist & Ngigolio Finger Knives

  • Ararait Wrist & Ngigolio Finger Knives

  • Ararait Wrist & Ngigolio Finger Knives

  • Ararait Wrist & Ngigolio Finger Knives

  • Ararait Wrist & Ngigolio Finger Knives

  • Ararait Wrist & Ngigolio Finger Knives

Ararait Wrist & Ngigolio Finger Knives
Turkana / Acholi / Daasanach / Nyangatom / Larim / Lokoya / Bari / Murle / Karamojong / Pokot and surrounding Nilotic Peoples
Turkana District, British East Africa (Lake Turkana Region including Northwestern Kenya, Northeastern Uganda, Southeast South Sudan, Southern Ethiopia)
Early 20th century
Iron, hide (goat, cow, donkey), copper
Ararait: 12,7cm
Ngigolio: 6,4cm - 11,4cm
Collection Date: 2024
Collection Number: 426

Ex. Oriental Arms: Haifa, Israel (2024) (https://oriental-arms.com/product/lot-of-wrist-knife-fingers-knives-and-hooks-usrd-by-the-turkana/)

The wrist knife is associated with the Turkana People of Kenya, where it is known as the "ararait" or akolu", but it is also used by many surrounding pastorial nilotic tribes from Southeast South Sudan, Southern Ethiopia, and Northeastern Uganda around around the Lake Turkana Region.

There is very little distinction between these weapons, which are composed of hammered iron and hide guards. More specifically, the blade is hammered from iron sheet metal in a circular shape, sharpened on the outside perimeter, while unsharpened on the inside where it is cut out to accommodate the wrist. The edges are protected by strips of hide (goat, cow, donkey) with end rings called "ngidany". The ngigolio, or finger knives, are also iron of semi-circular shaped blade with the end ring forged to fit around the finger. Some decorated with iron or copper wire bindings at the neck. When not in use, the blade is concealed flat against the palm. Ararait knives are still in use today to settle scores between tribal members and used as everyday cutting tools. this set includes (1) ararait wrist knife and (8) ngigolio finger knives. (3) in semi-circular shape, and (3) hooked. (2) are later examples while the rest are from the early 20th century with great variety and quality.

Photographs 7,8,9: (Riefenstahl, Leni. "Die Nuba". 1976): Nuba tribe of Kau, Sudan wrist fighting.

Photograph 10: Year Book of the Public Museum of the City of Milwaukee 1928, Volume VIII Part II: African Expedition: Turkana man with wrist knife, 1900 - 1931, P. 464, Fig. 390.

Photograph 11: Kao- Nyaro Nuba Bracelet Fighters, Sudan, 1949. Printed 1989. George Roger.