2000/084/730b

From 1933 to 1946, Armine Wright was based in Agordat in Eritrea as Senior Civil Affairs Officer. He was involved in peace-making with a group fighting against the British administration. He met the leader, Ali Muntaz, alone and unarmed, and spent five hours talking to him. Wright was able to arrange a pardon for Ali Muntaz, who gave him this shield, a sword, a knife and a water bottle in thanks. One set of notes names the donor by title, as the Diglal or hereditary ruler of the Beni Amer people. Another note names him as Ali Muntaz, one of the few instances where we have a name for a local person.

2000/084/730b shield (image/jpeg)
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Summary

: 2000/084/730b

: British Empire & Commonwealth

: Armour

: Weapon

: Shield, hide (possibly rhino), central boss, wooden handle inside the boss attached with hide thongs, two holes on outer edge of shield. From NE Sudan, Beja people. Collector's note: All these were given as a gift set and came from the Diglal of Beni Amar (2000/084/728-30, sword and sheath, knife and water bottle). Note from Wright's daughter for Empire Through the Lens exhibition: [see photograph 2008/084/1/1/5/2] In 1945 a similar shield and sword were given to my father, Armine Wright, as a thank you by Ali Muntaz, leader of a Beni-Amer [Beja] rebel group, after he risked his life to obtain Muntaz a pardon and broker peace. Also see photograph 2000/084/1/1/3/122 for similar sword and shield

2000/084/730b

Armine Wright collection

Current Location

This object is in store, please contact the Museum to arrange to see the object.

: British Empire & Commonwealth Museum Collection

: Wright

: Eritrea, East Africa, Africa

: Beja / Beni Amer

: Eritrea, East Africa, Africa

: Eritrea, East Africa, Africa

: 1944

: 1944

: Transferred from the British Empire and Commonwealth Museum, 2012

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