Jambiya, symbol of Yemeni men’s pride

World
Europe

Yemeni men have a unique way to show off their wealth and social class – daggers.

Curved knives, or jambiya, are the symbol of male honor in Yemen. "In Europe, people give importance to the tie or the suit you wear," Yaya Mohammed Sariya, a Yemeni who wears a jambiya worth thousands of dollars in his belt, explained to NPR, "Here, people recognize that you come from a good family based on the jambiya you carry."

Jambiya is derived from the Arabic word for "side," because the dagger is usually worn on the side of a person. The Yemeni jambiya generally has a curved, double-edged blade.

A man is wearing a jambiya. /VCG Photo

A Saudi man is holding the jambiya dagger. /VCG Photo

The double-edged blade is made of steel. /VCG Photo

Jambiya generally has a curved, double-edged blade. /VCG Photo

A man is preparing a traditional jambiya dagger in his shop. /VCG Photo

The steel blade is stored in a sheath, made of wood covered with metal or cloth. Various ornaments on the sheath add to its beauty and represent status.

The handle is the most important part of jambiya. The best ones are usually made of rhino horn. However, conservation efforts and policies banning poaching rhinos and exporting their horns meant that the handles are now curved out of bull horns and other animal bones.

Jambiya is commonly used in traditional events, which feature dancing. However, despite the cultural significance of jambiya, it is still a weapon. In Yemen, the dagger could only come out from its sheath in extreme cases of conflict. And carrying jambiya in other countries could land someone in legal trouble.

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(Cover photo from VCG and redesigned by Fan Chenxiao)