Thread: Dragon staff?
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Old 31st August 2014, 05:49 PM   #2
kronckew
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Room 101, Glos. UK
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nice one.

reminds me of a somewhat touristy maori tewhatewha with a greenstone (nephrite jade) 'blade'. the attached is of one around 71 cm.

the actual 'battle ones were about 5 ft. long with carved wooden 'blades' with a tuft of feathers attached at the base of the blade. the other end was very pointy and used for thrusts. the 'blade' end was used for striking blows, but not with the blade, but the back opposite. the blade only adding to the weight of impact. they were only carried by chiefs, never the rank and file warriors. also uses as semaphores to give the troops battle orders, a bit like a japanese war fan, so if a non-chief was carrying it, it meant the chief was dead and he'd taken command.

as a side note, it appears many maori carved hand weapons were only carved on one side as they were carried in a sash with the smooth unseen side towards the body. larger & longer staff weapons (including tewhatewha and taiaha were carried in hand & likely carved both sides. i note yours is only carved in detail on one side.

anyway, yours could be afantasy version from an indonesian with maori knowledge, or parallel evolution.

interesting maori haka performed in washington, initially starts with a maori and his shillelagh, and then another with his taiaha, the rest add in with their white bone patu hand clubs. then a chief, in the feathered shoulder cape directs from behind with his tewhatewha.

Maori Haka

on a more humorous note, if you watch the video, the maori slap their chests till they are bruised & red.

the german wehrmacht has seen an increase in the need for breast reduction operations in their male soldiers from the impact of their rifles on the chest during rifle drills on formal occasions and the practice sessions. seems it caused their breasts to grow - manboobs.
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Last edited by kronckew; 31st August 2014 at 06:21 PM.
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