There is little doubt that the bow was produced in many different lengths, shapes, and cross sections in South America, as well as Africa. The people of these two great continents were master archersó some of them still are. The Nubians (northern Sudan) and Ethiopians were renowned 3,000 to 4,000 years ago as deadly archers and as late as A.D. 700 were known as the ìpupil smitersî for their skill in blinding their opponents. We have a few excellent bows to offer, and invite your help and suggestions for more sources. Availability of these bows has become increasingly constricted and are now on a bow by bow search basis.

Two bows by tribes in northern and southern Venezuela. In the hands of the indigenous people these bows are powerful and effective tools to harvest animals and fish, supplying a major portion of their daily protein. Similar to medieval English longbows in design and performance. They must be humidified in temperate and dry climates. These bows are made by the Barií and Yanomami people and are made available through Manuel Lizzaralde, an anthropologist who has been associated with these people professionally and personally for many years. The low price of these bows is calculated to avoid wreaking havoc in the native economy, and does not accurately reflect the preciousness or very high quality of these weapons.

About 70" long, made of very dense, heavy palm wood (mancanilla in Spanish). About 50# at 25". Braced to about an inch, about 13/16" wide by 5/8" at the grip and smoothly tapered to about 1/2" at the nock tips. The string is of bromelia fiber and is nearly 1/4" thick; an extra string is on the back of the bow. $145.00

From the southern Venezuelan rainforest, made from hard, black Seje palm called Hoko. Very similar to the Barií above except that the cross section is more nearly round. The natural fiber string is about 1/8" thick and is made from the inner bark of a Ficus-like tree in the Fig family.$145.00

A hunting bow by the Akamba tribe, made from a dense tropical wood. Although often banded by 3" alternating bands of copper and iron wire creating quite an attractive pattern, some of them are plain. These 30-year-old relics are the only bows in the catalogue which are not functional. Please call or check our web site to see if we have found functional African bows. A tapered and capped smoked leather quiver and three arrows go with the bow. The quiver is finely stitched and crafted. The arrows are about 20" long with very small, sharp retractable metal tips to carry poison. Set of bow, three arrows and quiver.$170.00

Yanomamo—The Last Days of Eden, by anthropologist Napolean Chagnon. These are the people of the heavy jungle longbows, now under the heavy pressure of white intrusion. This edition is more balanced than the older one subtitled "The Fierce People." $18.00.

Yanoama: (spelling varies) The Story of Helen Valero, by Ettore Biocca. Helen was kidnapped by the Yanoama, returned to her own "civilized’ biological family, but decided to return permanently to her Indian home. $17.50.

The Double Helix: Bowhunting African Plains Game, by E. Donnell Thomas. The only way many of us will hunt in Africa. Also another way to reflect on this wonderful continent. $29.95.