A kitchen implement, or Fijian ula?
 

Hi all,

As always, any feedback is appreciated. I picked up this wooden club(?) from an auction. I did some research and found that it could be anything from a potato masher, butter churner, or a throwing club (Ula) from Fiji.

What are your opinions. Does this go with my Maori patu, or next to the blender in my kitchen? If an ula, what more can you tell me about this example.

Thanks much!

Oh, for scale, the tiles upon which the item is displayed are 1'x1'.

I think that the features of the overall shape lends it better towards being a weapon...

The butt of the shaft flares and is carved for grip. What would one be attacking in a kitchen that would need so much force as to require such sound purchase?

The shaft swells just under the head. A feature to have if the maker expects that it may not strike true all of the time and so needs some more girth to avoid being broken. Something a user wouldn't have to worry about if tenderizing meat over a counter top. But something the wielder would be concerned with if swinging at a moving target.

The head is also a lot larger than it would need to be in order to be an effective reamer, muddler, or tenderizer. And it's node on the top would be more useful in jabbing at the eyes, solar plexus or throat than it would be for cracking a nut or mashing herbs.

The whole of it is far larger than it would need to be to be an effective kitchen implement as well.

There are also things missing that I might expect on a kitchen tool. Such as a hole in the handle for hanging on a nail or even a lanyard. No obvious staining or impeded bits of food (like grain or nut shell) from repetitive use for a singular task. No burn marks from having been set too close to a cooking fire. Of course one wouldn't find all or necessarily any of these things on a wooden kitchen tool. But there is a high likely hood that one would if it was.

The total absence of features or wear that would indicate use in a kitchen environment in conjunction with distinctly weapon-like features really makes me think that it's a club. I'm no expert on wooden weapons. But this screams weapon to me.

It does look like an ula; I don't think it has a lot of age though...

Regards,
Kai

Kai is correct, its a Fijian ula but a relatively modern reproduction.

Agree with Kai and Colin!

Thank you all for the feedback. It is much appreciated. :)

Other than the lack of age on the wood, are there other cues suggesting modern make? I feel the carving on the head seems too regular...too symmetrical to have been carved very long ago. Is this a correct appraisal, or do older pieces have such well rendered carving?