ITS NOT A MUSHROOM
THE PHALLIC SYMBOLISM IS FAIRLY COMMON ON MANY OLD CLUBS. IT WAS QUITE COMMON IN FIJI BUT MOST OF THE NEWER ONES HAVE A BUTT END THAT IS EITHER FLAT OR HAS A SMALL POTRUSION WITH A HOLE IN IT FOR A WRIST CORD. PERHAPS IT WAS DUE TO TONGAN INFLUENCE OR THE INFLUENCE OF MISSIONARIES IN LATER TIMES
HERE IS A OLD FIJI CLUB WITH THE FULL PHALLIC HANDLE I READ SOMEWHERE THAT BEFORE BATTLE AND DURING CERTIAN DANCES THE WARRIORS WOULD HOLD THIS KIND OF CLUB BY THE SPUR ON THE STRIKING END AND BRANDISH THE HANDLE AT THE ENEMY OR PERHAPS BEST GAL. THIS KIND OF CLUB IS OFTEN REFERRED TO AS A GUNSTOCK CLUB BUT I BELIEVE IT PREDATES EXPOSURE TO OUTSIDE INFLUENCES.
UNFORTUNATELY THERE WAS A PERIOD IN THE ISLANDS WHEN THE OLD CLUBS WERE LEFT IN A STORAGE HUT SOMEWHERE WHILE STEEL AXES AND OTHER WEAPONS REPLACED THEM SO MOST WERE LOST TO TERMITES OR EXPOSURE OR ARE NOT IN GOOD SHAPE. THE ONES BROUGHT BACK BY EARLY EXPLORERS LIKE COOK BEING THE EXAMPLES OF THE OLD CLUB FORMS IN THE BEST CONDITION.