UgandaIron spearhead from Uganda or Rwanda, Africa. Collected by J. E. Tracy Philipps. Given to the Museum in 1921.

This leaf-shaped iron spearhead has a central ridge and a socket, in which remains part of the wooden shaft. It was made by the Pororo people of east-central Africa and was used in rain-making ceremonies rather than combat.

Sacred Weapons

The Pororo are a people of the Western Province of Ankole District, Uganda, to the east of Lake Edward. However, they span the border between Uganda and Rwanda and today number about 140,000 strong. There are two major Pororo clans: the Hima clan of cattle-keepers, and the Iru clan of millet farmers. The Hima have tended to dominate the Iru, supplying them with meat in exchange for crops and animal fodder, building work, and support in war. This spearhead is of a style made by the southern Hima clans and is known locally as ikihogi ichi chumu. It is very practical in form, with two pronounced fullers on the blade and a relatively short socket compared to the blade length. It has been made to a very high standard of workmanship - a distinctive feature of Pororo spears.

Spears are of considerable religious and ceremonial significance in the area between Lakes Albert, Edward and Victoria. Ceremonial and regalia spears are known among the Teso, Lango, Acoli, Samia, Ganda and Nyoro peoples. In general, rain-making spears were ritually consecrated items, which were seen to embody the power of the rain itself. Many African cultures have traditionally viewed the shining iron blade - of an axe, a throwing knife, or a spear - as an embodiment of lightning, rain and other powerful natural forces.

The spear would be consecrated or 'washed' by an old man, an expert veteran rain-maker. The washing was performed in a calabash (African bottle-gourd), hollowed out to form a container for water. The water was brought from a particular spring known to produce water when other springs had run dry. The consecrator then spat into this water, to impart some of his own powers, before the spearhead was washed. During this washing, the elder addressed the spear, paid it compliments on its beauty, and instructed it to make the harvest good.

Older men closely guarded their knowledge of rain-making techniques, and initiation into its secrets was parallel to initiation into settled male society as a whole. Education in rain-making went hand in hand with lengthy education on morality and social responsibility. Rain-making spears were considered entirely different to conventional spears, although they are identical in form. When one was taken out of the house for use, the other was banned. As a result, everyone observed a general truce whenever rain-making spears were in use.