The mbili ngbiaka spear point of the Ngbaka ethnic group (given as part of the marriage dowry) and the ngindza throwing knife of the Mbugbu people (used for barter) are two examples of these functionally useless but valuable objects cited by Schoonheyt to illustrate the complex relationship between iron weapons and economic transactions.
The introduction of firearms into the region reduced the need for iron weapons and the art of blacksmithing went into steep decline. This section serves as somewhat of a depressing coda to the exhibit and one walks away from it with the feeling that the demise of the rich tradition of weapon production serves as a metaphor for the destruction of the traditions of the region’s people.
One small gripe is that the museum uses a smoky-glass as a surface on which to project accompanying films, making the already grainy images almost impossible to see. But this is a small drawback in an exhibit that reveals the important role iron weapons played in Central Africa’s tribal culture.
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