Some Oceanic clubs / weapons

ASH · 25th July 2012, 07:21 AM

Hi all,
Here are some of my oceanic pieces.
Starting with some from Fiji. All date from early to mid 19th C.
Left to right.

Kiakavo: used for dance & ceremony.

Totokia: Made to peck a hole in the skull without the use of a long swing. Totokia maining "to peck like a chicken"
This is a nice heavy big one, measures 40".

Gata waka: One of the most widely used in fiji.

Culacula / Kinikini: Chief's club, used for fighting and deflecting incoming arrow.This example is huge at 51" and carved in low re-leaf all over. but has suffered mass battle damage.

Small Bowai: These small clubs commonly called "wife beaters" were use in the chiefly house hold to keep order. Maybe Tongan

Culacula: Made to snap and cut though bone. Maybe Tongan.

I ula tavatava: Throwing club. This one being quite large with its 5" head and having nice red trade paint here and there.

Up next are some misc. oceanic weapons.

Boomerang with some kind of talisman carving?

Vanuatu club

Club from Samoa called nifo'oti

Solomon islands club

PNG club

sawfish rostrum, although not a weapon outright it was used in different places around Oceania.

A great little shark tooth dagger from Kiribati in the Gilbert islands.

PNG bone dagger.

Thanks for looking.

Regards Ash

colin henshaw · 25th July 2012, 10:11 AM

Very nice collection of old clubs etc - I like the shark tooth weapon particularly.

Regards.

Tim Simmons · 25th July 2012, 05:35 PM

Any chance of a better look at this one with a good description size and so on. Lovely shape and the surface looks very smooth. Not sure its PNG.

ASH · 26th July 2012, 01:52 AM

Hi Tim,
Thanks for you inquiry.

I thought PNG because of the shape and being made of palm wood which fits with PNG,and the little braided piece in the middle looks very PNG. But not really sure, would love to here what you think. Here are some more pics and some info.
The club measures 36 inches long by 3 wide, with the handle @ 19 inches
and the oval end @ 17 inches long. It is made of some kind of very dark palm wood. With a great dark encrusted patina. Appears to be stone carved. also has a little butt end finial not to different from some of the Solomon island clubs.
One thing That is a little strange about it is the balance of it "being very top heavy" and the thickness of the handle "being really thin in the hand, at less then 3/4 inch.
Thanks again

Regards Ash

VANDOO · 26th July 2012, 03:48 AM

AN IMPRESSIVE SELECTION AND GOOD OLD ONES NO MODERN REPLICAS OR MADE FOR TOURISTS STUFF. NOT A SMALL COLLECTION AS FAR AS THESE CLUBS GO ESPECIALLY ALL BEING OLD AND OF GOOD QUALITY.
MY COLLECTION IS LARGER BUT NOT PURELY GOOD OLD EXAMPLES THERE JUST ISN'T A SUPPLY OF THIS QUALITY IN MY PART OF THE WORLD AND TODAYS PRICES ARE PROHIBITIVE FOR ME TO PURCHASE THE GOOD STUFF IN TODAYS MARKET. SO I OFTEN HAVE TO SETTLE FOR A GOOD REPLICA OF A RARE FORM TO AT LEAST HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF MANY OF THE CLUBS I LIKE. ITS A COMPROMISE BUT I GUESS BETTER THAN GIVING UP COLLECTING COMPLETELY OR LIVING IN A CAVE FULL OF CLUBS.
HMMM! LIVING IN A CAVE FULL OF CLUBS MIGHT NOT BE SO BAD IF I COULD HAVE ALL THOSE I WANT AND THEY WERE GOOD OLD ONES.

I WISH THE BIG CHIEFS CLUB WAS COMPLETE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MAGNIFICENT. THE DAMMAGE IS OLD AND LIKELY IT COULD TELL SOME STORIES THAT WOULD MAKE YOUR BLOOD RUN COLD. SUCH ITEMS ALWAYS INSPIRE DEEP THOUGHT WHEN I HANDLE THEM AND I ENJOY THEM EVEN MORE. I ALWAYS DID HAVE AN ACTIVE IMAGINATION AND CURIOSITY ABOUT EVERYTHING

25th July 2012, 07:21 AM	#1
ASH Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 13	Some Oceanic clubs / weapons Hi all, Here are some of my oceanic pieces. Starting with some from Fiji. All date from early to mid 19th C. Left to right. Kiakavo: used for dance & ceremony. Totokia: Made to peck a hole in the skull without the use of a long swing. Totokia maining "to peck like a chicken" This is a nice heavy big one, measures 40". Gata waka: One of the most widely used in fiji. Culacula / Kinikini: Chief's club, used for fighting and deflecting incoming arrow.This example is huge at 51" and carved in low re-leaf all over. but has suffered mass battle damage. Small Bowai: These small clubs commonly called "wife beaters" were use in the chiefly house hold to keep order. Maybe Tongan Culacula: Made to snap and cut though bone. Maybe Tongan. I ula tavatava: Throwing club. This one being quite large with its 5" head and having nice red trade paint here and there. Up next are some misc. oceanic weapons. Boomerang with some kind of talisman carving? Vanuatu club Club from Samoa called nifo'oti Solomon islands club PNG club sawfish rostrum, although not a weapon outright it was used in different places around Oceania. A great little shark tooth dagger from Kiribati in the Gilbert islands. PNG bone dagger. Thanks for looking. Regards Ash Attached Images

25th July 2012, 05:35 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,739	Any chance of a better look at this one with a good description size and so on. Lovely shape and the surface looks very smooth. Not sure its PNG. Attached Images

26th July 2012, 01:52 AM	#4
ASH Member Join Date: Jul 2012 Posts: 13	Reply to Tim. Hi Tim, Thanks for you inquiry. I thought PNG because of the shape and being made of palm wood which fits with PNG,and the little braided piece in the middle looks very PNG. But not really sure, would love to here what you think. Here are some more pics and some info. The club measures 36 inches long by 3 wide, with the handle @ 19 inches and the oval end @ 17 inches long. It is made of some kind of very dark palm wood. With a great dark encrusted patina. Appears to be stone carved. also has a little butt end finial not to different from some of the Solomon island clubs. One thing That is a little strange about it is the balance of it "being very top heavy" and the thickness of the handle "being really thin in the hand, at less then 3/4 inch. Thanks again Regards Ash Attached Images

25th July 2012, 10:11 AM	#2
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Very nice collection of old clubs etc - I like the shark tooth weapon particularly. Regards.

26th July 2012, 03:48 AM	#5
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	AN IMPRESSIVE SELECTION AND GOOD OLD ONES NO MODERN REPLICAS OR MADE FOR TOURISTS STUFF. NOT A SMALL COLLECTION AS FAR AS THESE CLUBS GO ESPECIALLY ALL BEING OLD AND OF GOOD QUALITY. MY COLLECTION IS LARGER BUT NOT PURELY GOOD OLD EXAMPLES THERE JUST ISN'T A SUPPLY OF THIS QUALITY IN MY PART OF THE WORLD AND TODAYS PRICES ARE PROHIBITIVE FOR ME TO PURCHASE THE GOOD STUFF IN TODAYS MARKET. SO I OFTEN HAVE TO SETTLE FOR A GOOD REPLICA OF A RARE FORM TO AT LEAST HAVE AN EXAMPLE OF MANY OF THE CLUBS I LIKE. ITS A COMPROMISE BUT I GUESS BETTER THAN GIVING UP COLLECTING COMPLETELY OR LIVING IN A CAVE FULL OF CLUBS. HMMM! LIVING IN A CAVE FULL OF CLUBS MIGHT NOT BE SO BAD IF I COULD HAVE ALL THOSE I WANT AND THEY WERE GOOD OLD ONES. I WISH THE BIG CHIEFS CLUB WAS COMPLETE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN MAGNIFICENT. THE DAMMAGE IS OLD AND LIKELY IT COULD TELL SOME STORIES THAT WOULD MAKE YOUR BLOOD RUN COLD. SUCH ITEMS ALWAYS INSPIRE DEEP THOUGHT WHEN I HANDLE THEM AND I ENJOY THEM EVEN MORE. I ALWAYS DID HAVE AN ACTIVE IMAGINATION AND CURIOSITY ABOUT EVERYTHING