Samoan question

[Billman]

Again it is probably just a coincidence, but one based on the same principles of what we would today call ergonomic design, i.e. form follows function...

There are similarly shaped billhooks found in England, Germany and Austria with a hook on the back to pull the next piece of wood towards the user. None of these were intended as weapons, but similar designs became incorporated into medieval pole arms in order to pull a rider from his horse...

African ceremonial weapons shaped like billhooks can also be found, and also ceremonial and status items such as the Mangbetu trombash, which to all intents and puposes looks and feels like a billhook - but everyone states they are weapons (throwing knives) or ceremonial/status/moneraty items, not tools (but I would be interested to know what tools they cut wood with, harvested corn, or made their huts with..) - sorry I digress...

I have noticed the similarities between the wooden Samoan and other cultures' clubs and billhooks - but I guess most European ethnologists were familiar with the billhook, and thus said they were 'billhook shaped' and not copied from a European billhook...