Manhood on the cheap

The traditional Yemeni dagger, or jambiya, is worn by many men in Yemen as a symbol of their manhood and authority. But with its rhino horn, buffalo horn or ivory handles and sharp steel blade, a jambiya can put deep dents in the wallet, costing several hundreds and sometimes even thousands of dollars. Part of the reason it’s so expensive is because trading ivory and rhino horn is now illegal and has to be smuggled in, which pushes the price up. With the average monthly income in Yemen only around $100, according to 2008  United Nations figures, that puts the traditionally-produced dagger out the reach of many. Now, however, there is a solution for those Yemenis who wish to flaunt their masculinity without spending their yearly wage for the privilege: plastic jambiyas. They have been dubbed the “Chinese,” supposedly after the common perception among Yemenis that anything made in China