shark tooth weapon.

[VANDOO]

KIRIBATI IS A GROUP OF ISLANDS NORTH OF TODAYS MARSHALL ISLANDS AND TODAY THAY ARE CONSIDERED DIFFERENT GROUPS AND NATIONS. PERHAPS IN THE PAST THEY WERE ALL GROUPED TOGETHER BY EUROPEANS??? HOW WIDE SPREAD THIS ARMOR AND WEAPON WAS THRUOUT MICRONESIA I DO NOT KNOW.
AT ANY RATE I HAVE SEEN THE WEAPONS AND ARMOR LISTED OVER THE YEARS AS FROM THE MARSHALL ISLANDS, KINGSMILL ISLANDS ,GILBERT ISLANDS AND MORE RECENTLY AS KIRABATI. AS TO WEATHER THE ARMOR OR SPECIFIC TYPES OF SHARK TOOTH WEAPONS WERE DIFFERENT ON EACH ISLAND OR GROUP OF ISLANDS I HAVE NO REFRENCES TO FIND OUT. I SUSPECT THERE WERE VARIATIONS PERHAPS BASED ON THE TRIBE OR INDIVIDUAL FAMILY DESIGNS (NOTE THE DIFFERENCES IN THE DESIGN OF THE ARMOR ESPECIALLY THE BACK/ HEAD GUARDS IN THE ABOVE PICTURE) NOTE ALSO THE TWO INDIVIDUALS WITHOUT FULL ARMOR DO HAVE A PROTECTIVE GIRDLE AND GRASS SKIRT.
THESE CHEST AND BELLY GIRDLES ARE ALSO USED IN NEW GUINEA AND SOME OF THE ISLANDS IN THE REGION. SHARK TOOTH WEAPONS ARE USED IN NEW GUINEA AND HAWAII AS WELL. I STILL SUSPECT THIS WAS CEREMONIAL COMBAT NOT OPEN WAR. ON AN ISLAND WAR AS THE EUROPEANS PRACTICED IT DID NOT MAKE SENSE AS IF EVERYTHING WAS DESTROYED OFTEN EVERYONE PERISHED. THE RESOURCES AND ENVIRONMENT ARE IN A DELICATE BALANCE ON AN ISLAND AND IF YOU FOUL YOUR NEST THERE IS NO WHERE TO GO. THE FACE OFF IN THE PICTURE APPEARS TO BE KIND OF LIKE A DUEL WITH THE TWO WARRIORS AND THEIR SECONDS. AT ANY RATE THE TWO GROUPS INVOLVED ARE THERE TO CHEER THEIR TEAM ON AND PERHAPS IT DECIDED WHO GOT TO HARVEST THE COCONUTS IN A CERTAN PRIME PART OF THE ISLAND THAT YEAR OR SOME OTHER THING. THIS WOULD MAKE SENSE AS IT WAS JUST COMPETICIAN AND TAUGHT PRIDE IN YOUR GROUP AND INSPIRED WARRIORS TO WORK HARD AND DO THEIR BEST FOR THE TEAM (TRIBE OR FAMILY).
SHARKS WERE MENTIONED THE OCEANIC WHITETIP AND THE REEF WHITETIP ARE COMPLETELY DIFFERENT. THE REEF WHITE TIP IS MUCH SMALLER AND LIVES NEAR LAND OR REEFS AND IS NOT A THREAT TO MAN. THE OCEANIC WHITE TIP IS AN OPEN WATER SPECIES AND OCCURS IN VERY LARGE NUMBERS. THOUGH YOU SELDOM HEAR OF IT IS WAS INVOLVED IN MANY OF THE LARGE FEEDING FRENZYS WHEN SHIPS WERE SUNK DURING THE WARS. IT IS ALSO ONE OF THE LARGE SHARKS THAT LIKE TO FOLLOW SHIPS AND EAT WHAT IS THROWN OVERBOARD. I HAVE SEEN IT IN VERY LARGE NUMBERS AROUND THE NORTH OF NEW GUINEA IT COMES NEAR ISLANDS WHERE THERE ARE WALLS (UNDER WATER CLIFF DROP OFF) WITH DEEP WATER CLOSE TO LAND. I SAW A LARGE GROUP PATROLLING A WALL THAT WERE FROM 16 TO 18 FEET LONG , LUCKILY THEY WERE FULL OF FISH AND LIKELY CONSIDER A DIVER TOO UGLY TO EAT.