Ethnographic Arms & Armour - View Single Post

kronckew · 7th December 2014, 05:38 PM

wending it's way to me from san francisco

attributed to Rarotonga, Cook islands:

looks like a traditional form (as in vanadoo's excellent club info series on the cook islands clubs. does not appear to be very old. listed as circa mid 20th c.

13.75 in long 5.5 in. across the blade 5/8in. thick. hardwood. (looks somewhat opalescent in some of the photos) looks like a coconut fibre cord in the central butt hole which appears rather rougher than a modern drill would produce.

vanadoo mentioned these appear to be ceremonial rather than weapons. i note a certain boxy similarity to maori wahaika and the tewhatewha which were used as weapons, at least up to the arrival of the brits. on both of those, the strike is made with the long edge rather than the shorter edge or thrust into a soft spot - like a throat. i wonder if the same was not used here. would certainly be a nasty close range weapon like a wahaika/patu/mere. will be interesting to see if it has a useful edge or is rounded.
this one shows added serrations to the edges.

the tewhatewha was a chief's weapon and signalling device, used to direct lesser warriors as well as kill. same here?

could the pair of rather roughly cut & unoccupied holes (butt and/or leading edge)have been used to tie decorative feather bundles as for signaling in the tewhatewha?

7th December 2014, 05:38 PM	#1
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,150	Poo Rapa wending it's way to me from san francisco attributed to Rarotonga, Cook islands: looks like a traditional form (as in vanadoo's excellent club info series on the cook islands clubs. does not appear to be very old. listed as circa mid 20th c. 13.75 in long 5.5 in. across the blade 5/8in. thick. hardwood. (looks somewhat opalescent in some of the photos) looks like a coconut fibre cord in the central butt hole which appears rather rougher than a modern drill would produce. vanadoo mentioned these appear to be ceremonial rather than weapons. i note a certain boxy similarity to maori wahaika and the tewhatewha which were used as weapons, at least up to the arrival of the brits. on both of those, the strike is made with the long edge rather than the shorter edge or thrust into a soft spot - like a throat. i wonder if the same was not used here. would certainly be a nasty close range weapon like a wahaika/patu/mere. will be interesting to see if it has a useful edge or is rounded. this one shows added serrations to the edges. the tewhatewha was a chief's weapon and signalling device, used to direct lesser warriors as well as kill. same here? could the pair of rather roughly cut & unoccupied holes (butt and/or leading edge)have been used to tie decorative feather bundles as for signaling in the tewhatewha? Attached Images Last edited by kronckew; 7th December 2014 at 05:59 PM.