African Archery
Unlike other parts of the world, African archery is still an important part of any boy’s childhood within Africa.
While it seems as though archery has turned into a sport in North America, African archery is still a large part of life within some parts of Africa. Tribe members still use the bow and arrow to hunt and to fight, which is why it is an integral part of any child’s growth. Traditionally, bows are carved from wood that is round with tip tapers. Sometimes, bows that are flattened can also be found. The strings of an African’s bow are generally made from sinew, or of animal hide.
As far as the arrows go, these are usually made from carved reed or wood, and they tend to have several nocks. It is also common to see fletching in the form of quills or feathers, though leaf fletching is extremely popular in the Congo. Additionally, many tribes use arrowheads that have been carved from rock, though these tend to come in numerous shapes and sizes. Perhaps one of the most amazing parts of this type of equipment is the quiver.
Within African archery, quivers represent many things. Most of them are covered in rawhide, though all of them contain intricate beading. You will discover that no two quivers are the same, since the beading represents the individual archer. If you ever get the chance to study this type of archery, you will be amazed at the sheer precision and skill that a small child within an African tribe has. While this technique may have faded from the North American scene a long time ago, it is still alive and well in Africa.
Due to a heightened interest, many North American archers have begun to use native African equipment. While this is a nice tribute, these archers cannot hope to learn all that many generations of Africans know. Still, it is a nice break from the regular routine archery practice. You may be able to find some of this authentic equipment at an online auction site, or you might be able to fashion your own bow and arrows in this manner if you are a handy person.
If you want to learn more about African archery, visit your local museum today. Many museums often showcase bows and arrows from these cultures for North Americans to view and become acquainted with.