This koummiya (koummya) is the Moroccan version of the traditional Arabic janbiya, and is also generically referred to as a janbiya (which in Arabic simply means knife). Once the French and British empires expanded into northern Africa in the early 1800's and the homelands of the Arabs were overrun with white-suited expatriates (desert-wallahs), it became popular to send local weaponry back home to amaze those who were not so well traveled. Morocco fell early to European colonialism, and industries sprang up to supply the white devils with the native weapons that helped them feel superior.