Woman's Dagger
Lugbara / Logo, D.R. Congo / Uganda
Iron, wood
Early 20th century

The simbili dagger (also known as okuilia) is a weaving knife used in making various Lugbara crafts like Obuka, Kobi, Ovua, Koyia, and Tiko. The pointed tip makes a hole for passing the weave material through, while the sharp edges are used to shape, trim, and cut off excess material. Simbili is considered the woman's companion because most Lugbara women had one affixed around the side of their waist (mbiriti), ready for use at any time (Pers. communication, Maandebo Moses Baakole, Dec. 2020). 

Two published examples of this obscure type are here:

Felix, Low, & Lu (Eds.), Fatal Beauty: Traditional Weapons from Central Africa, 2013, fig. 129.

British Museum, item Af1997,10.8.

The Lugbara people live mainly in northwestern Uganda and the adjoining area of the D.R. Congo. They are settled agriculturists, subsisting primarily by shifting hoe cultivation. Millet is the traditional staple, and cassava and tobacco are also grown. Marriage entails a substantial bride-price in livestock or iron implements. The Lugbara lack a centralized political authority, and what formal authority exists is exercised by rainmakers and the heads of large family groups. The majority of Lugbara still practice ancestor worship; they believe in a creator god, Adroa. They are one of the peoples least affected by modern changes in Uganda, maintaining a strong sense of their own identity ("Lugbara," Encyclopædia Britannica, 22 Feb. 2016).

10.75 in :: 27.5 cm

InventoryID #13-1674

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