Name

Adam Alante


Born
1984, Connecticut, USA


Occupation
Artisan/ Blacksmith


Inspiration
History and specifically archaic African armaments.

One of my ceremonial Akofenas. Note the large hilt with a small space for the hand that would make it difficult to handle in combat. The irregular blade and ovesized hilt are meant to emphasize and exaggerate the silhouette of the sword. This certainly stems from parade usage. 

What inspired you?
Ever since I was very young I loved ancient and medieval history. The arms and armor, mythology and sciences of the world captivated me. I was raised in a poor and troubled environment and my love for history became an escape for me that helped me resist a life of crime. As I came of age I became particularly interested in weapons of old from the Nihonto  to the Talwar of India and from the Doa and Jian of China to the Viking and knightly swords of Europe. Through countless research I began to develop a proper understanding of the cultural weapon and the function behind it. Although there are many people who consider the weapons of old to be little more than violent instruments, to me and many others that violent instrument reads like a book displaying the cultural psyche  of the day as well as the physical environment which surrounded them.

I had found that all medieval cultures have swords/weapons that express the ingenuity and prowess within their cultural identity. I then asked myself How could this not be true of Africa? While investigating medieval weaponry of the world I realized it was difficult to find information about African medieval armament and military systems. As a result, I became very thirsty for information and resources on African military science and weaponry.

Once I became interested in African weapons I did what I suppose most would have done, I looked for antiques online. I also frequented ethnographic geared message boards and tried to collect all of the books and literature that I had access to. I have visited the Metropolitan Museum of Art. There I saw the exhibitions on African art. 
I have also witnessed the countless Benin bronzes featured at the British Museum that show clear evidence of cuirasses and other armament of both functional and ceremonial usage.

Currently I consider myself a passionate collector of not just African medieval and archaic weaponry but a passionate collector of weaponry and armament from all over the world. However, I am not currently a member of any particular collectors’ society. I am a member of the online forums Sword Forum International and Ethnographic Arms and Armor.


The Result
The thought behind making my recreations is to bring the magnificent yet little known medieval cultures of Africa to the attention of those who find depth, light, and inspiration in learning more about the cultures of yesterday.

As far as collections that I particularly enjoy…most notably there are the many examples of ceremonial Yoruba knives, Akan swords, Benin bronzes, etc. displayed at the British Museum. I am also fond of a website called Mambele :  The Guido T. Poppe Collection of African Knives by Jan Elsen. Guido T. Poppe has a wonderfully accurate view of African weapons;, specifically, the difference between functional and ceremonial weapons. He also has a vast collection.