Hoodoo Voodoo?

This piece represents a wild departure from my usual posts. As I mentioned in an earlier blog, I also collect odd, unusual, or "ethnic" musical instruments, which I also play. This overlapping of my interest in weapons and music makes my wunderkammer particularly interesting (at least to me). Also added to the mix is my keen interest in "primitive" religions (and I mean this without value judgment). I dig "voodoo" (and the popular perception thereof), hoodoo, shamanism, African and Asian animism, among others. While not a beleiver of any sort myself, I appreciate the mechanisms by which religion may have come into being, and also the ways in which the African diaspora incorporated European rites into their belief systems fractured by the abhorrent institution of slavery. For example, Haitian Vodou (or Vodun, but never "Voodoo") is intriguing in the way in which it incorporated Catholicism into half-remembered Dahomey beliefs imported by slaves. It's both sad and enlightening. Read Voodoo in Haiti by Alfred Metraux, or the works of Zora Neale Hurston, or even Sacred Arts of Haitian Vodou by Donald J. Cosentino to learn more (the latter work is beautifully illustrated).

To this end, today's entry is a wooden drum from Haiti. It is reportedly from the late 1800's, and is by all accounts a drum used in Vodou rites. It stands over 4' tall, and sounds with a deep, booming bass that reverberates in ones thorax. It makes an imposing addition to the arsenal, and complements the weaponry motif with a touch of the Caribbean (along with other artifacts).

It's Fish Knife Friday #12

Very fishy, this one.

Flintlock's Flintlock

Here's an old British flintlock pistol. The lock plate has the traditional stamp of the TOWER arsenal as well as the Seal of King George (with G.R. for George Rex) stamped under it. The puts it in the late 1700's or early 1800's. There are a few replacement parts on this piece - one of the lockplate screws has been replaced, as has the plate on the left side of the pistol - it's now brass sheet stock that is not original. Otherwise, the pistol is in pretty good shape with a functioning action, frizzen, and ramrod.

Might this have been a pirate's pistol? A fella can dream, right?

And another khukri...

This one is also of recent manufacture, but by the skilled craftsmen at Himalayan Imports. The company's founder, bill Martino, passed away a few years back, but I got my order for this Chitlangi Khukri before the business faltered. The balance and heft of this piece is deceptive given it's length and thickness. As far as a course, general purpose fighting and utility knife, I submit that the Khukri is damn near perfect. Not for eye surgery, or anything, but great for the woods.

Another old belt

What the hell is with the old belts? I dunno - my father-in-law had a bunch of them and he gave them to me. They are all WW1 vintage. This one has a leather frog for a bayonet or a sword.

More stuff I pulled from the water #5

This old bottle also came up in an oyster dredge. I'm not sure it's all that old, but you gotta admit the barnacle bases add a certain nautical touch. Looks like it spent some time on the Flying Dutchman.

One big hole puncher...

This is a 14.5 mm x 114 mm heavy machine gun round (tracer). This was a Russian (or former Soviet) round. More can be found out about the cartridge here. It has been removed from its brass cartridge case but is unfired. Based on markings, this one is an armor piercing incendiary round, and is very much "ert" with respect to the incendiary filling. Probably won't be throwing this into the campfire anytime soon...