Mystery Wooden Club!

[GeorgeB]

I am a collector of clubs (among many other things!) and for a long time I've been trying to identify the old, used and nicely patinated club below. I have been assured it is not Oceanic and there is disagreement among experts whether it is from Africa - it isn't Zula anyhow. ChatGPT analysed the style of carving on the grip section of the handle and insists it is from SE Asia, however, I have not found any mention on the Internet of ball-headed clubs from that region (but the mentions may be in Dutch). Does anyone recognise this type of club? Note, that the rings on the handle are hand carved - not turned on a lathe, and that the club is 54.5 cm long. Thanks!

[Tim Simmons]

To me every thing about it is African. From South Africa on the east right up to the Sudan these short light weight clubs are ubiqutous in varrious forms and decorations. The ball head not really being of a fighting weight. I do not believe these club/status/dress items are found in Asia, In most parts of Asia turning would be a more common way of manufacture, lathe work is in some African regions. If someone can show otherwise I would assume an African origin probably North and east?.

[GeorgeB]

Originally Posted by Tim Simmons

To me every thing about it is African. From South Africa on the east right up to the Sudan these short light weight clubs are ubiqutous in varrious forms and decorations. The ball head not really being of a fighting weight. I do not believe these club/status/dress items are found in Asia, In most parts of Asia turning would be a more common way of manufacture, lathe work is in some African regions. If someone can show otherwise I would assume an African origin probably North and east?.

Yes, that's exactly what I've come to think. Thanks

[Ian]

I'm moving this one over to the Ethnographic Forum where discussion of clubs is encouraged.

[ausjulius]

Yeah i wouldn't be following anything AI says at all 🤣.. remember it's idiotic replies are based on our own idiocy. It's not "intelligent" .. it's artificial "opinions" .
There's nothing linking this to anything from any place in Asia.
Actually vi don't believe there is any southeast Asian clubs aside from the Thai KomFaag which are single handed (and a few double handed) bladed sword type clubs, aside from that off the top of my head I don't know of any clubs at all from Indonesia, Philippines and so on, we had that mystery Taiwanese club.. and I'd guess there is others out there) so just some ai slop replies to mislead you there.

It's southern African.
There is smooth lollypop like clubs from Ethiopia but these have a different handle style and many are painted too. Other nonsouther African symmetrical headed clubs generally have some distinct traits like a little collar between the head and shaft or a nubbin on the top or other traits or the transition from the handle to the head is a slow smooth transition not an abrupt transition like the southern Africans prefer.

Carving the shaft is indeed present among the Zulu and other South African ethnic groups clubs.
I've got several some place with cross hatched and also banded grip patterns, nobody's turning anything on a lathe.. it's just cut in with a knife, as is the club in the picture, I don't think the carving or patterns have any tribal/ethnic significance. They are just decoration to add sone grip when battering a fellows noggin in at the shabeen..
. Unlike the pacific patterns which are very consistent the South African ones seem rather varied. And I've seen spiral patterns, chequering, bants, zigzags, spiral twists, ribbed bands, copper and brass wire and also tacks on grips from southern Africa.

As to grip texture on clubs it seems 3, regions it pops up.
Southern Africa, Fiji, and Australian Aboriginal clubs from the south east of the country.
From.. experience is say it is very useful and really helps you grip the club when you are swinging it in some wild confrontation, hands damp from sweat/kava/grog or what else. Don't want it scooting out from your meat hooks when you are settling up.
It's curious it's not more common.
The aboriginal patterns, some are just scratches from a stone, knife blade or tooth, but others are long interconnected grooves and others elongated dimples or a swirling patterns of little picked in marks.. these really help you grab and infect the club.
The Fijian patters are very good too.
Let's you know where it's at for *BOINKING time.

[ausjulius]

Also forgot to add..
Have a look at Zulu, Shona, Matabele and so on wood carving patterns. Or Zulu patters, it's usually grooved bands and triangles with lines, pretty typical sort of pattern they make