getting my first trad bow

[snowbeast]

I put an order order this morning for my first trad bow!
It is a traditional bushman (san) bow.
The San people lived in the Drakensberg region of South Africa before the Zulu's and settlers moved further inland.
Due to the unfair treatment, they where chased up north into the Kalahari.
They are known for their bow hunting hunting cave paintings.
During the "bush war" they where employed by the South African Defence Force (sandf) as expert trackers.

Paulos, the Gent making my bow was bought up in the Namibian bush in the Traditional way of the San people. At age 20 he was employed by the SANDF and worked with 32 Batallion.
When the war ended he was employed as a stock theft tracker and found his way to Richmond where he now spends his time working at a school camp educating people in the San way of life.
Interestingly, he spent 6months living in fujimos home town in KZN.

The bow will be nothing fancy, just a stick and sinew.
This is a good place to start my trad journey. At the beginning.
I'll post pics next Wednesday.

Cheers  

[Cyclic-Rivers]

Sounds interesting. I hope you post photos when it arrives. I would love to see it.

Getting your first bow is always exciting.  You have shared pretty neat history of the people and the gent making your bow.

[kadbow]

   

[dirtguy]

Sounds very cool. please post pics when you get it.

What about length and draw weight?

[snowbeast]

Thanks guys. Pics will follow as I get it. Paulos does not know about draw weight or draw length.it's not something the San ever factored in.
A long bow is streaks ahead of a San Bow.
Second picture in link gives some idea.

 http://www.experiencearchery.com/brief-history-of-archery/

Welcome to trad archery, and TradGang!

In for the pics!

Bisch

[snowbeast]

Further history of the Bushmen (San)

The love bow.

Paulos relayed a nice piece of history on my last visit.

Marriages where not always aranged in San Culture.
If a young man liked a women he would construct. L#ove bow.
The love bow is no bigger than my hand.
The young man could create one and a tiny sharp arrow.
When the sun is setting the man would separate himself from his friends and sneak up near her. He would shoot her in the buttocks. It would sting like a bee. When she brushes her rump she would find the love arrow and look to see a man seperated from the other men. This would identify her lover. If she wants to marry him she will look to the sun as a sign she wants to spend her life with him. If not she will turn her back to the sun and spit to the ground indicating no interest in him.

It's sort of like the African version of Cupid.
I'm loving hearing the history of the San culture from somebody who actually grew up in the culture.

Paulos does not speak English, only khoi San and afrikaans. He learned afrikaans whilst tracking for 32 batallion.

32 bat where some of the most feared soldiers in the war.
A lot of the soldiers in 32 Bat have gone on and worked for private security companies in Iraq, Congo, Ivory Coast.

32 Batallions history is an interest of mine.


A good article done by US journalists VICE

http://www.vice.com/read/32-battalion-409-v17n4

I know I have digressed, but I would like you to know the history of my beautiful country.
My wish is that people would look past race and culture and embrace each other as fellow countrymen.

For another day, I have had the honour of knowing two Zulu Princes and learned a lot from their culture from the stories they have passed down.
History books have tainted history an word of mouth history has become a thing of the past.

[PZee]

Hey Bruce,

Welcome to "the Gang" and welcome to Trad archery in South Africa.

Pete

[TxSportsman]

snowbeast, thank you for the information and the VICE article. I found it very interesting. A few months back I had 3 guys out from South Africa. Some of the nicest folks I've met... I wish I had known a little bit about the 32 Battalion while they were here... it would have been good conversation I'm sure.

[Stump73]

Can't wait to see pictures of it!

[curlis]

We want pictures!

[snowbeast]

Bow will be ready on Monday. Hoping to pick up then.

[Lady Frost]

I do love to hear history stories, snow. I would think most women would say yes right away.   Wouldn't want to keep getting shot in the ass, lol.

[Possum Head]

Guess it beats gettin shot in the butt with a Zwickey! Interesting read Snowbeast. What animals you gonna hunt with your new bow?

[snowbeast]

Imagine tinder in those days. Pain in the bum.

Just noticed we have the same surname Lady Frost.

[ChuckC]

If I shot my wife in the butt with a little arrow, I think she would have shot me with her shotgun !  In the butt, of course....

Please post pix.  

If I recall correctly, the San didn't use heavy weight bows nor was pinpoint accuracy an issue.  Again, if I recall, they use amendments to their points and simply put one in the animal, then track it to the end.

I guess they can track and sneak up on a ghost if necessary....they are that good.
ChuckC

[beaunaro]

Very interesting history, both the 32 Battalion and the cupid story.

Wouldn't it be cool if one of the bushmen could teach us in the US how to track like they do?

I know the classes would be expensive because of the travel involved and maybe an interpreter, but I would line up for this training.