Star Wars Borrowing from Ethnography

[Roland_M]

Originally Posted by Battara

Greetings folks,


There was a Star Wars costume exhibit in Cincinnati a couple of years ago (and yes I'm just getting to post now).

Some of the garb was taken literally from ethnography. This character is from Tatooine. Notice the pineapple Fijian club (upside down).

Nice pictures and it is absolutely obviously, that the filmmakers got no idea how this Fijian war club is used. With that strange protrusion, which looks like a rocket-tail, the club is pretty useless. Or is it a rocket driven Club (german: "Raketenkeule"= "Rocketclub" )? Imho this is now a club, which would hurt its owner. And ist is unintentional funny.
At least i hope, this is a reproduction of a Fijian Club.

To me it seems that they studied ethnographic arms and said "Hey let us use the most unusual and exotic looking weapons!" This would be ok, if they just get inspired by ethnographic arms but the direct usage is quite poor and without fantasy in my eyes.

Roland