Mar 02, 2010 15:28:00

In modern African tribal conflicts, everyone wears clothes and fights with bows and arrows and knives.

In recent wars, the evolution of missiles and other means of ranged attacks has often resulted in soldiers ending their battles before they see each other, but in Africa they used bows and arrows and knives. Close combat, like washing blood with blood, is still taking place.

AFP: A war of bows and arrows in the heart of Kenya's crisis

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iKa3Zt28KFl37pg8jWrNALCt9Reg

Kenyan Tribes Wage a War With Bows and Arrows --Photo Essays --TIME
http://content.time.com/time/photogallery/0,29307,1722198,00.html

The battle took place between the Masai and Kalenjin during the ' Kenyan crisis ,' which is said to have killed more than 1,500 people after the 2007 presidential election. There is a record that a fairly unorthodox riot occurred, such as the country's marathon representative being killed by a poison dart, but it seems that this battle was carried out in a traditional way of war.

The battle was set in the Olmeril Valley, Transmara, Masai Mara National Reserve.

Masai warrior preparing weapons.

A Masai man giving instructions for battle. By tradition, the battle begins at dawn and ends at sunset.

A Masai warrior who shoots arrows across the Olmeril Valley. Basically, all the members of Muranaka participate in the battle, and the woman keeps watch.

According to local police, it is very rare for bows and arrows to be used outside of hunting. You may have recently noticed that it is more powerful than a machete and is effective as an anti-personnel weapon.

Surprisingly, it seems that close combat is rarely held, but whether it is dangerous or not is a different story. Some warriors have an arrow stuck in their face.

Not only bows and arrows and machetes, but also

sling stones can be used as weapons.

The Kalenjin said, 'I believe it is right to fight on the battlefield. I don't fight at night. The fight at night is not good.'

It is said that there are cases where there are acquaintances in each other's tribes, and if you find an acquaintance in the other party, you will move to the battlefield so that you do not have to fight each other. In addition, dialogue and negotiations continue during such conflicts, and it is said that text messages are exchanged by mobile phones quite frequently. It also seems to share information such as the time of the next attack.

I go home when the sun goes down.