Help with african shields

[Plynkes]

...it's probable most used the Zulu type shield. Were there any exceptions?

The Nkonde had oddly thin rectangular shields, but they were from the northern end of Nyasa. And the Yao didn't seem to use shields at all, having adopted the musketeer way of fighting quite early I think. Ruga-Ruga, tribal musketeers, or Wangwana type figures would be most suitable for them.

[Clearco]

The Ansar option come with shaved heads too. Now you've got me wondering ..

That was also my though at the beginning, but when I got them I realised that the heads (except one) look too much "sudanese" (I dont know a better term to describe it  ) for Tanzanian people like I wanted to represent...So IŽm going to try with the Zulu ones 

[Plynkes]

Do you think I can combine the fabric garments of the latter photos with the early traditional shields?

Most definitely. The caravan routes passed through Ugogo, and the Wagogo had been extorting cloth from passing traders since at least the 1850s (the guy in the first Gogo pic I posted is wearing a cloth skirt):



The fellow on the left in the above picture is also Gogo, and his dress is representative of the earlier period. Curiously though, the source pic comes from the 1890s, which shows that if you want you could mix the traditional dress and shield in with figures who have adopted Masai styles like the ones in Inkydave's pic, or the fellow below, who is sporting yet another different Wagogo look:




Note the various Sigue Sigue Sputnik hairstyles on display.

[Clearco]

Thanks a lot Plynkes!
Then IŽll do Wagogo  Maybe IŽll try to mix at least shields so I can use them for various periods 
I think it will be very funny to sculpt these hairstyles 

[aecurtis]

Going to waGogo?

The Stones did that.  So did Stan and Ollie:



Allen

P.S.  Just *try* to purge your brains!