CARVING VARIATIONS ON OCEANIC CLUBS

fearn · 20th February 2010, 12:19 AM

There is at least two books on the old club types. I'm looking for my (photo)copies at the moment.

A few comments:
--woodwork tends to be distinctive by island, so long as the people making the clubs aren't reading the same books we are.
--When a club is made with metal tools, the lines tend to be simpler and rounder. We're not likely to see many clubs made with stone, bone, or shell tools, but the decorations are different and distinctive.
--Iron reached the pacific a long time ago, and many clubs were made for the tourist trade, even back in the 1850s.

Fun topic. Thanks Vandoo!

F

VANDOO · 20th February 2010, 03:31 AM

THERE ARE SOME OLD CLUBS MOSTLY IN MUSEUM COLLECTIONS THAT STILL HAVE THE FIBER WRAPPING ON THE HANDLES. THE FIBER BECOMES DRY AND BRITTLE SO MOST OLD EXAMPLES HAVE LOST IT LONG AGO. I THINK MANY OF THE OLDER KIAKAVO (WRONGLY CALLED GUNSTOCK CLUBS) HAD WRAPPINGS OF EITHER SENNET (CORD MADE FROM COCONUT FIBERS) CORD MADE FROM HUMAN HAIR WAS ALSO USED. OR WOVEN FIBER MADE FROM PALM OR PANDANUS LEAVES OFTEN WITH COLORS AND PATTERNS. THE VUNIKAU (ROOTSTOCK CLUBS) ALSO HAD SENNET CORD WRAPPINGS ON THEIR SHAFTS. LESS COMMONLY CORD WRAP COULD BE FOUND ON TOTOKIA (WRONGLY CALLED PINEAPPLE CLUBS) AND CULACULA (PADDLE CLUBS FOUND IN FIJI BUT THOUGHT TO BE OF TONGAN OR SAMOAN ORIGIN)
THERE ARE MANY DRAWINGS IN "FIJIAN WEAPONS & WARFARE" BY FERGUS CLUNIE.
ANOTHER GOOD SOURCE DEALING WITH ALL OCEANIC CLUBS IS " ETHNOGRAPHICAL ALBUM OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS" BY EDGE PARTINGTON

THERE ARE TWO PICTURES OF A FIJI TOTIKA WITH BOTH SENNET AND HUMAN HAIR CORD.
THERE IS ONE PICTURE OF TWO PADDLE TYPE CLUBS FROM THE SOLOMON ISLANDS WITH DECORATIVE FIBER WRAPS.

Tim Simmons · 20th February 2010, 09:58 AM

Decadence or a flowering of traditional arts? A mastery of the new carving tools? Even as a non-expert I think it is possible to recognise in many old pieces a decline in artistry. This picture is from "Pacific Encounters- Art & Divinity in Polynesia 1760-1860" British Museum Press {a must have}. It is not too expensive and I think is still available from amazon.UK. Perhaps this could be seen as decadent over even earlier forms, bearing in mind metal tools could well have been in the hands of court artists from at least the very early 1700s.

20th February 2010, 03:31 AM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THERE ARE SOME OLD CLUBS MOSTLY IN MUSEUM COLLECTIONS THAT STILL HAVE THE FIBER WRAPPING ON THE HANDLES. THE FIBER BECOMES DRY AND BRITTLE SO MOST OLD EXAMPLES HAVE LOST IT LONG AGO. I THINK MANY OF THE OLDER KIAKAVO (WRONGLY CALLED GUNSTOCK CLUBS) HAD WRAPPINGS OF EITHER SENNET (CORD MADE FROM COCONUT FIBERS) CORD MADE FROM HUMAN HAIR WAS ALSO USED. OR WOVEN FIBER MADE FROM PALM OR PANDANUS LEAVES OFTEN WITH COLORS AND PATTERNS. THE VUNIKAU (ROOTSTOCK CLUBS) ALSO HAD SENNET CORD WRAPPINGS ON THEIR SHAFTS. LESS COMMONLY CORD WRAP COULD BE FOUND ON TOTOKIA (WRONGLY CALLED PINEAPPLE CLUBS) AND CULACULA (PADDLE CLUBS FOUND IN FIJI BUT THOUGHT TO BE OF TONGAN OR SAMOAN ORIGIN) THERE ARE MANY DRAWINGS IN "FIJIAN WEAPONS & WARFARE" BY FERGUS CLUNIE. ANOTHER GOOD SOURCE DEALING WITH ALL OCEANIC CLUBS IS " ETHNOGRAPHICAL ALBUM OF THE PACIFIC ISLANDS" BY EDGE PARTINGTON THERE ARE TWO PICTURES OF A FIJI TOTIKA WITH BOTH SENNET AND HUMAN HAIR CORD. THERE IS ONE PICTURE OF TWO PADDLE TYPE CLUBS FROM THE SOLOMON ISLANDS WITH DECORATIVE FIBER WRAPS. Attached Images

20th February 2010, 09:58 AM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,890	Decadence or a flowering of traditional arts? A mastery of the new carving tools? Even as a non-expert I think it is possible to recognise in many old pieces a decline in artistry. This picture is from "Pacific Encounters- Art & Divinity in Polynesia 1760-1860" British Museum Press {a must have}. It is not too expensive and I think is still available from amazon.UK. Perhaps this could be seen as decadent over even earlier forms, bearing in mind metal tools could well have been in the hands of court artists from at least the very early 1700s. Attached Images

20th February 2010, 12:19 AM	#1
fearn Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 1,247	There is at least two books on the old club types. I'm looking for my (photo)copies at the moment. A few comments: --woodwork tends to be distinctive by island, so long as the people making the clubs aren't reading the same books we are. --When a club is made with metal tools, the lines tend to be simpler and rounder. We're not likely to see many clubs made with stone, bone, or shell tools, but the decorations are different and distinctive. --Iron reached the pacific a long time ago, and many clubs were made for the tourist trade, even back in the 1850s. Fun topic. Thanks Vandoo! F