The
Zulus are perhaps the fiercest, most combative tribe in all South
Africa. In the early 1800's the Zulu King, Shaka, subjugated the vast
area of land between the Phongolo and Mzimkhulu rivers and laid the
foundations for the Zulu Nation. Then in 1879 the Zulus handed the
British one of the most humiliating defeats in history at the battle of
Isandlwana, when they annihilated an entire column of 1200 Englishmen
(who were supported by artillery and cavalry), and did it with little
more than cowhide shields and their Assegais, or short stabbing spears.
Even to this day, a Zulu tribesman is nobody to be trifled with.
The
thing that distinguishes the Zulu people most is their fondness for
using a Knob Kerrie, or walking stick. our President, Lynn C. Thompson,
who regularly hunts in South Africa, has amassed an impressive
collection of these handmade sticks. Most of them are made from
indigenous African hardwoods like Wild Olive, Pink Ivory, and Red Bush
Willow, and are topped with a distinctive ball or knob.
Adapted
for the western marketplace, the ColdSteel African Walking Stick
features some of the best parts of traditional Zulu Kerries like an
undulating shaft, and the traditional geodesic ball grip. However,
instead of using a costly exotic hardwood, we've made ours out of black
Polypropylene. This means that, in addition to being unbreakable, it's
also impervious to the elements. It will never rot, warp, crack,
splinter, swell, shrink, mildew or fade, and it's ready for all the wear
and tear you, and the world, can dish out. Although its primary mission
is to be a walking stick to aid one's balance when crossing uneven,
slippery, wet or rough terrain, it can also serve as a pointer, lever,
or probe. It also makes a formidable tool for self-defense in an
emergency.
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