Not necessarily. Headhunting raids might well have been outlawed by 1900. Traditional weapons would still be in use.
Quote from "The British Museum, Melanesia Art and encounter"
Clubs today
Though today deadly violence on Malaita is much less common than in the past, Kwaio and some other Malaitans still make and carry alafolo, subi and morimori. In Kwaio today most men go armed when away from thier hamlets, some still carry clubs (now often steel reinforcement rods), though most now simply carry machetes, which are also all-purpose work tools. However, many Kwaio have told me they would rather wield a club in a fight, even if they prefer to carry a lighter and more versatile machete day to day.
I do not know how significant it may be but the mother of pearl pattern on the handle of my clubs does correspond to the earlier ritual pattern form shown in the diagram in previous post. That and the apparent age of the club makes me rather hopeful that it is indeed a cultural artifact. The account of the Malaita Massacre 1927,
"Lightning Meets the West Wind- The Malaita Massacre- Roger M.Keesing/Peter Corris 1980 Oxford University press"
Mention is made of the abandonment and scattering of traditional weapons after the Kwaoi warriors were dispersed by armed police.
Picture of the club ends.
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