EASTER ISLAND CLUBS

VANDOO · 21st July 2013, 04:46 PM

WHILE WE KNOW POLYNESIANS MADE MANY LONG OCEAN VOYAGES WE HAVE LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THEY NAVIGATED OR PICKED A DIRECTION TO GO. MANY A THEORY ABOUNDS AND MANY OR ALL SURELY PLAYED A PART IN THEIR SUCESS BUT WE MAY NOT HAVE THE FULL PICTURE.
MANY VOYAGES MAY HAVE ENDED IN DESTRUCTION AS TIMING AND LUCK PLAY A PART IN LONG SEA VOYAGES. BUT THE SAILING AND NAVAGATION KNOWLEGE OF THE POLYNESIANS MAY HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER THAN WE KNOW AND DISASTERS KEPT TO A MINIMUM.
THEY LIVED CLOSE TO NATURE AND STUDIED THE WILDLIFE, WAVES, WINDS,SEASONS,CLOUDS, CURRENTS AS WELL AS WHAT WASHED UP ON THEIR ISLANDS AND WHERE THE CURRENTS THAT BROUGHT STUFF CAME FROM. THEY KNEW THE ESTABLISHED ROUTES FROM ISLAND TO ISLAND AND WHEN AND HOW BEST TO VOYAGE TO THEM. NATURE OFFERS MANY CLUES TO THOSE WHO STUDY AND LEARN TO UNDERSTAND THEM ALL SOCIETYS WHO SAILED KNEW THE SEASONS OF STORMS AND THOSE OF GOOD WINDS AND CURRENTS.
THERE IS ALSO THE SHAMAN OR PRIESTS WHO OFTEN HAD VISIONS. THERE ARE MANY TALES IN MANY CULTURES OF THE ABILITY TO SEE FAR AWAY OR EVEN INTO THE FUTURE. THESE PEOPLE WERE ALWAYS CONSULTED BEFORE ANY LARGE AND IMPORTANT EVENT SO THEIR IMPUT WAS PART OF THE SUCESS OR FAILURE OF THE VOYAGE. I DON'T HAVE THESE ABILITYS AND HAVE NOT BEEN SCHOOLED BY THOSE WHO SAY THEY DO AND HAVEN'T TAKEN ANY OF THE DRUGS OFTEN USED IN SUCH TRANCES SO DON'T COUNT THEM FOR MUCH. BUT I HAVE SEEN ENOUGH STRANGE THINGS NOT TO DISCOUNT THEM ENTIRELY AND MOST OF THAT KNOWLEGE HAS BEEN LOST AS MAN MOVES FARTHER FROM NATURE.

VANDOO · 22nd August 2015, 06:30 PM

HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF THIS RAPA NUI CLUB FORM. UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE VERY LITTLE INFORMATION ON THEM OTHER THAN THAT THEY ARE FROM EASTER ISLAND. I BOUGHT ONE IN 1974 AND IT WAS 17 INCHES LONG, OLD AND THE WOOD WAS COATED IN SOME BLACK STAIN WHICH WAS SHOWING WEAR. I HAVE SEEN OTHER EXAMPLES DESCRIBED AS MID 20TH CENTURY AND CIRCA 1960. MOST LIKELY MADE FOR TOURISTS BUT IT IS POSSIBLE THEY ARE REPLICAS OF REAL ARTIFACTS AS ARE MANY OF THE OTHER WOOD CARVINGS FROM EASTER ISLAND. I WOULD GUESS THEY WERE FOR CEREMONY'S OR TO REPRESENT STATUS AS THEY WOULD NOT MAKE A GOOD WEAPON. I THINK THEY ARE WORTHY OF A EASTER ISLAND COLLECTION AS THERE IS NOT A WIDE RANGE OF ITEMS AVAILABLE FROM THERE. PERHAPS THERE IS A COLLECTOR WITH GOOD REFERENCES OR INFORMATION ON EASTER ISLAND WHO CAN FILL US IN.
#1. MY CLUB 17 IN LONG
#2.& #3. SAID TO BE MID 20TH. CENTURY, 34 X 8 CM.
#4. SAID TO BE FROM THE 1940'S
#5. SAID TO BE CIRCA 1960
#6 & #7 A EXAMPLE FROM ANOTHER MEMBERS POST ,THESE PICTURES APPEAR AT THE TOP. SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION AS I ATTEMPTED TO TRANSFER THE INFO FROM ANOTHER POST AND THE PICTURES DID NOT COME WITH IT. I AM ADDING THIS HERE TO ADD TO THE REFERENCE.
Attached Images #8. 13 IN. SHORT CLUB

VANDOO · 22nd August 2015, 07:58 PM

HERE IS MY EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE LONG PADDLE KNOWN AS "AO" OR THE SMALLER DANCE PADDLES KNOWN AS "RAPA". UNLIKE ALL OTHER PADDLES IN OCEANIA ,THE STANDARDIZED PADDLE USED IN EASTER ISLAND HAD A BLADE ON EACH END. MANY PADDLES THE WORLD OVER ARE DESIGNED PRIMARILY FOR PADDLING BUT MAY ALSO SERVE AS A CLUB OR SPEAR IF NEEDED.
I AM NOT SURE WHERE MY EXAMPLE FALLS IT IS 47 INCHES LONG AND MOST LIKELY A RAPA OR DANCE PADDLE. BOTH TYPES WERE TWIRLED AND SHAKEN IN THE HANDS DURING CEREMONIAL DANCES. THE EARLIEST COLLECTED "RAPA WAS COLLECTED BY CAPTAIN COOK IN 1775 AND THE EARLIEST KNOWN "AO" LONG PADDLE COLLECTED IN 1884. COOK'S RAPA HAS A FACE CARVED ON EACH SIDE OF ONE END WITH EYES MADE OF SHARK VERTEBRAE WITH BLACK OBSIDIAN STONE CENTERS MUCH LIKE MY EXAMPLE. SOME EXAMPLES WERE CARVED AND SOME PAINTED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RAPA AND AO IS MOSTLY IN SIZE AND DECORATION. A PADDLE SHAPED STAFF OF HONOR WAS A SYMBOL OF AUTHORITY. SPECIMENS FROM EASTER ISLAND SHOW THAT THE UPPER BLADE WAS INVARIABLY DECORATED AS A CONVENTIONALIZED HUMAN HEAD WITH TWO CHARACTERISTICS. VERTICAL BANDS ON TOP REPRESENTING THE FEATHER CROWN, AND ELONGATED EARS WITH PENDANT DISKS ON EACH SIDE REPRESENTING EAR PLUGS.
I ALSO INCLUDE SOME PICTURES OF SOME RECENT RONGO BOARDS. #1, THRU #3. MY RAPA
#4. & #5 BOTH SIDES OF EXAMPLE A
#6 & #7. BOTH SIDES OF EXAMPLE B
#8. ANOTHER RECENT TOURIST ITEM.
#9. A NICE BOARD AND MASK
#10. A NICE MODERN RAPA DANCE PADDLE

21st July 2013, 04:46 PM	#1
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	WHILE WE KNOW POLYNESIANS MADE MANY LONG OCEAN VOYAGES WE HAVE LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THEY NAVIGATED OR PICKED A DIRECTION TO GO. MANY A THEORY ABOUNDS AND MANY OR ALL SURELY PLAYED A PART IN THEIR SUCESS BUT WE MAY NOT HAVE THE FULL PICTURE. MANY VOYAGES MAY HAVE ENDED IN DESTRUCTION AS TIMING AND LUCK PLAY A PART IN LONG SEA VOYAGES. BUT THE SAILING AND NAVAGATION KNOWLEGE OF THE POLYNESIANS MAY HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER THAN WE KNOW AND DISASTERS KEPT TO A MINIMUM. THEY LIVED CLOSE TO NATURE AND STUDIED THE WILDLIFE, WAVES, WINDS,SEASONS,CLOUDS, CURRENTS AS WELL AS WHAT WASHED UP ON THEIR ISLANDS AND WHERE THE CURRENTS THAT BROUGHT STUFF CAME FROM. THEY KNEW THE ESTABLISHED ROUTES FROM ISLAND TO ISLAND AND WHEN AND HOW BEST TO VOYAGE TO THEM. NATURE OFFERS MANY CLUES TO THOSE WHO STUDY AND LEARN TO UNDERSTAND THEM ALL SOCIETYS WHO SAILED KNEW THE SEASONS OF STORMS AND THOSE OF GOOD WINDS AND CURRENTS. THERE IS ALSO THE SHAMAN OR PRIESTS WHO OFTEN HAD VISIONS. THERE ARE MANY TALES IN MANY CULTURES OF THE ABILITY TO SEE FAR AWAY OR EVEN INTO THE FUTURE. THESE PEOPLE WERE ALWAYS CONSULTED BEFORE ANY LARGE AND IMPORTANT EVENT SO THEIR IMPUT WAS PART OF THE SUCESS OR FAILURE OF THE VOYAGE. I DON'T HAVE THESE ABILITYS AND HAVE NOT BEEN SCHOOLED BY THOSE WHO SAY THEY DO AND HAVEN'T TAKEN ANY OF THE DRUGS OFTEN USED IN SUCH TRANCES SO DON'T COUNT THEM FOR MUCH. BUT I HAVE SEEN ENOUGH STRANGE THINGS NOT TO DISCOUNT THEM ENTIRELY AND MOST OF THAT KNOWLEGE HAS BEEN LOST AS MAN MOVES FARTHER FROM NATURE.

22nd August 2015, 06:30 PM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF THIS RAPA NUI CLUB FORM. UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE VERY LITTLE INFORMATION ON THEM OTHER THAN THAT THEY ARE FROM EASTER ISLAND. I BOUGHT ONE IN 1974 AND IT WAS 17 INCHES LONG, OLD AND THE WOOD WAS COATED IN SOME BLACK STAIN WHICH WAS SHOWING WEAR. I HAVE SEEN OTHER EXAMPLES DESCRIBED AS MID 20TH CENTURY AND CIRCA 1960. MOST LIKELY MADE FOR TOURISTS BUT IT IS POSSIBLE THEY ARE REPLICAS OF REAL ARTIFACTS AS ARE MANY OF THE OTHER WOOD CARVINGS FROM EASTER ISLAND. I WOULD GUESS THEY WERE FOR CEREMONY'S OR TO REPRESENT STATUS AS THEY WOULD NOT MAKE A GOOD WEAPON. I THINK THEY ARE WORTHY OF A EASTER ISLAND COLLECTION AS THERE IS NOT A WIDE RANGE OF ITEMS AVAILABLE FROM THERE. PERHAPS THERE IS A COLLECTOR WITH GOOD REFERENCES OR INFORMATION ON EASTER ISLAND WHO CAN FILL US IN. #1. MY CLUB 17 IN LONG #2.& #3. SAID TO BE MID 20TH. CENTURY, 34 X 8 CM. #4. SAID TO BE FROM THE 1940'S #5. SAID TO BE CIRCA 1960 #6 & #7 A EXAMPLE FROM ANOTHER MEMBERS POST ,THESE PICTURES APPEAR AT THE TOP. SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION AS I ATTEMPTED TO TRANSFER THE INFO FROM ANOTHER POST AND THE PICTURES DID NOT COME WITH IT. I AM ADDING THIS HERE TO ADD TO THE REFERENCE. Attached Images #8. 13 IN. SHORT CLUB Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 22nd August 2015 at 07:43 PM.

22nd August 2015, 07:58 PM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	HERE IS MY EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE LONG PADDLE KNOWN AS "AO" OR THE SMALLER DANCE PADDLES KNOWN AS "RAPA". UNLIKE ALL OTHER PADDLES IN OCEANIA ,THE STANDARDIZED PADDLE USED IN EASTER ISLAND HAD A BLADE ON EACH END. MANY PADDLES THE WORLD OVER ARE DESIGNED PRIMARILY FOR PADDLING BUT MAY ALSO SERVE AS A CLUB OR SPEAR IF NEEDED. I AM NOT SURE WHERE MY EXAMPLE FALLS IT IS 47 INCHES LONG AND MOST LIKELY A RAPA OR DANCE PADDLE. BOTH TYPES WERE TWIRLED AND SHAKEN IN THE HANDS DURING CEREMONIAL DANCES. THE EARLIEST COLLECTED "RAPA WAS COLLECTED BY CAPTAIN COOK IN 1775 AND THE EARLIEST KNOWN "AO" LONG PADDLE COLLECTED IN 1884. COOK'S RAPA HAS A FACE CARVED ON EACH SIDE OF ONE END WITH EYES MADE OF SHARK VERTEBRAE WITH BLACK OBSIDIAN STONE CENTERS MUCH LIKE MY EXAMPLE. SOME EXAMPLES WERE CARVED AND SOME PAINTED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RAPA AND AO IS MOSTLY IN SIZE AND DECORATION. A PADDLE SHAPED STAFF OF HONOR WAS A SYMBOL OF AUTHORITY. SPECIMENS FROM EASTER ISLAND SHOW THAT THE UPPER BLADE WAS INVARIABLY DECORATED AS A CONVENTIONALIZED HUMAN HEAD WITH TWO CHARACTERISTICS. VERTICAL BANDS ON TOP REPRESENTING THE FEATHER CROWN, AND ELONGATED EARS WITH PENDANT DISKS ON EACH SIDE REPRESENTING EAR PLUGS. I ALSO INCLUDE SOME PICTURES OF SOME RECENT RONGO BOARDS. #1, THRU #3. MY RAPA #4. & #5 BOTH SIDES OF EXAMPLE A #6 & #7. BOTH SIDES OF EXAMPLE B #8. ANOTHER RECENT TOURIST ITEM. #9. A NICE BOARD AND MASK #10. A NICE MODERN RAPA DANCE PADDLE Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 22nd August 2015 at 08:50 PM.