UNFORTUNATELY WHEN ANOTHER CULTURE LOOKS AT THE TOOLS, WEAPONS OR ARTEFACTS OF A NEW CULTURE THEY OFTEN TRY TO ASSOCIATE IT WITH SOMETHING THEY ARE FAMILIAR WITH. SUCH AS THE CLUB LOOKS LIKE A GUNSTOCK, BILLHOOK OR WHALERS FLENCING TOOL, NOT TAKEING INTO CONSIDERATION THE NATIVE PEOPLE HAVE NEVER SEEN EITHER ONE.
THE ISLANDERS NO DOUBT TOOK THEIR INSPIRATION FROM SOMETHING THEY SAW WHERE THEY LIVED.THERE ARE MANY FORMS IN NATURE TO DRAW FROM, MANY FORMS ARE SAID IN NATIVE TRADITION TO HAVE ORIGINATED FROM FLOWERS AND FRUIT AS WELL AS THE ANIMAL KINGDOM. SEE PICTURES OF 3 SPIKEY FLOWERS FOUND IN THE ISLANDS.
SEVERAL CLUB PICTURES ONE WITH A EXTREME BACK SPIKE, I SUSPECT THE BACK SPIKE WAS USED FOR SOME CEREMONIAL PURPOSE AS IT DID NOT ADD TO THE EFFECTIVE USE OF A WAR CLUB. PERHAPS FOR HANGING, DANCING OR EVEN CARRING A TAILSMAN OR HEAD OF A FALLEN ENEMY. NOTE I DON'T REMEMBER READING IF SAMOANS TOOK HEADS
ONE PICTURE IS OF 3 TOOTHED FORMS OF SAMOAN CLUBS AND ANOTHER IS AN EARLY EXAMPLE WITH NO SPIKES A SAILOR WOULD NO DOUBT HAVE THOUGHT IT LOOKED LIKE A PEG LEG.
THE SECOND CLUB PICTURE THE ONE WITH NO SPIKES REMINDS ME OF THE CEREMONIAL STILTS CARVED AND USED IN THE MARQUESAS NOT A PEG LEG.
THE FIRE KNIFE DANCES DID EVOLVE FROM THE CLUB AND SUBSEQUENT LONG KNIFE WITH TRADITIONAL BACKSPIKE. I PERSONALLY BELIEVE THE CLUBS WERE ALREADY IN USE BEFORE OUTSIDE CONTACT WAS MADE WITH EUROPEANS.