THE SMALL DANCE SPEAR IS FAIRLY RECENT AND WAS MADE USING MODERN TOOLS POSSIBLY FOR TRIBAL CEREMONIES BUT LIKELY FOR SALE TO TOURISTS. ITS ACTUALLY WELL MADE FOR A SOUVENIR AND DOES HAVE SOME OF THE TRADITIONAL TRIBAL DESIGN I ASSOCIATE WITH THE KAXINAWA TRIBE. THERE IS A PICTURE OF SOME MORE OF THE TRIBES PEOPLE AND WEAPONS EARLIER IN THIS POST. I COULD BE WRONG AS OTHER TRIBES MAY MAKE THIS FORM OF SPEAR BUT SO FAR THE ONLY EXAMPLES I HAVE SEEN WERE FROM THIS TRIBE, SO ITS A GOOD PLACE TO START LOOKING.

I know it's not really a weapon, but i thought i'd share :) I believe its from the Guyana/Surinam Area.. ( I also found another bow and arrow set, but haven't had time for pictures yet, but trust me its nice with feathers :) )

Shipibo
 

Hi Folks. First post here. I found this site researching a club I purchased several months ago and figured now that I am enrolled I would share some photos of the club. From the Smithsonian website I found the club is what they call a "Shipibo Sword Club". It's quite heavy and has very sharp edges. Could cut through about anything. Very nice patina. The unusual aspect is where there is usually a sort of woven "rattan" covering on the handle this club has a native made cotton cover-probably a replacement but still pretty early. There is an old storage label from a "Bekins Moving" (an American moving company) in Albuquerque and the seller said it was in a small museum in New Mexico in the 50's. I collect Polynesian clubs and objects and a little African so this is out of my wheelhouse but it was so cheap and looked quite nice so I pulled the trigger. Any info on this club welcome. I've really enjoyed this thread and others-thanks... Sorry the photos are a little dark! I'll post one first to see if I'm doing it right...


http://postimg.org/image/ul34vovit/

Shipibo Club
 

So-that was my first post here and I failed on the photo upload of course. Here are photos of the club... Sorry they are a bit dark-will do better next time. Incremental improvements...

Would like to see it but no pics so far.

i see the pics. nice club. i like it...

Welcome to the forum! Nice club. :)

Regards,
Detlef

WELCOME TO THE FORUM. :)
A VERY NICE OLD EXAMPLE. MY TWO SHIPIBO CLUBS EARLY IN THIS POST WERE OF A LIGHTER SOFTER WOOD AND HAVE THE TRADITIONAL SHIPIBO TRIBAL DESIGNS ON THE BLADES. I SUSPECT MY TWO ARE MORE FOR DANCE , PRESENTATION OR TOURISTS RATHER THAN FIGHTING. THERE IS A GOOD HEAVY EXAMPLE IN THE NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM IN NEW YORK CITY THAT HAS THE TRIBAL DESIGNS SO PERHAPS THERE WAS A PERIOD OF OVERLAP BETWEEN WEAPON AND CEREMONIAL USE. :confused:
IS THERE ANY TRACE OF TRIBAL DESIGN ON YOUR CLUB?

Nice, got some age . I want one.

Thanks for the warm welcome all.

Vandoo-there is none of the tribal design on the blade. All the examples in the Smithsonian have thedesign as well-including a couple very early ones. I think it is more normal to have the design. Mine just doesn't but it still appears quite old. I've really enjoyed your posts-keep it up. This is my only South American club but maybe I will post more of my Polynesian material soon...

Houkura, that is a very nice club, even if not decorated... congrats!

Congrats on such a fine example Houkura.

The type is its plain form is one I would be proud to display with my Amazon clubs.

Gavin

Very nice club, don't worry about the markings some have it, some don't !

here is another example similar to yours!


http://www.nmai.si.edu/searchcollections/item.aspx?irn=209363&catids=1&cultxt=shipibo&src=1-1

This is my latest Amazon club. Origin Hixkaryana speaking peoples Para state Brazil and some related groups on the Brazil/Guyana border. I like to show how weapons of a size and form vary world wide so I show it with a big bully from the New Hebrides, Australia and Africa. Hixkaryana have much conflict with miners and loggers. Miner caught in Para Amazon. Like gold in Them there hills!

1998 report on violence in Para,
http://www.latinamericanstudies.org/brazil/mining.htm

Guajajara club 98cm long so looks to be quite substantial. Nice handle but these pictures do not give you the best view of how it is woven. When I get it I can make better assessment.

While I wait for the arrival of this club towards the end of the month. I thought I would add this picture of the after affects of club fighting. The link puts the picture in context for those who might be interested in weapons and violence in the Amazon rain forest.

http://www.artofmanliness.com/2013/0...of-male-honor/

so, nothing much different than the rest of the world. ;)

just adding my photos. It seems to have had considerable use.

Karaja
 

Just received this nice Karaja sword club. Would split your skull and bones easily. Look good in a size grouping. I would like, no, need a large version.

Fine piece with a good form. Congratulations...

Very nice one Tim! i would love to have one with the threads on the sides! the club above it is a little bit later but! made of the right wood, and if i remember correctly cannot be exported anymore.

I also found a couple of things a nice things, a Tapirapé war club and a couple of bow and arrows from guyana/surinam. (pic 1 war club) (pic 2 bow and arrow 1) (pic 3 bow and arrow 2) (pic 4 and 5 bow and arrow 3)

I'm loving it. That's a really fine club. There's great stuff from the Amazon/ South America the trouble is finding it.

HERE IS A PICTURE OF A MACANA CLUB FROM GUIANA , BRAZIL. ITS NOT A VERY GOOD PICTURE BUT SHOWS AN EXAMPLE WITH A STONE CELT BLADE INSERTED.

Found a nice spear, although i'm not sure of the exact origins. I found something similar in the Oldman catalogues, he describes it as Rio Napo. (227 cm)

Deep envy. :cool:

Very nice aputu with an axe blade in it!

Really appreciate you guys posting these up, want one but vicariously it'll be for now ;)

PICTURE #1. MACANA CLUB GUYANA OR BRAZIL.
#2. MACANA CLUB, 18TH. CENTURY, GUYANA, BRAZIL BORDER, 18.45 INCHES
OR 45.8 CM. LONG.
#3. MACANA , GUYANA OR BRAZIL
#4, #5. AND #6. IDENTIFIED AS A KAPAPO OR CARAJA CLUB, NORTH BRAZIL
, 41.5INCHES LONG.

I am waiting for this Kayabi club. The picture is not the best but have been informed that all is sound and okay. It is a good size 112cm. More pictures on arrival.

HERE IS A PALM WOOD SPEAR WITH A BONE TIP. IT IS SIMILAR TO SOME POSTED PREVIOUSLY ONE IS THE FIRST POST ON PAGE 2 OF THIS TOPIC.
#1. TWO METERS LONG, PALM WOOD, BONE POINT, FIBER WRAP WITH FEATHERS,BRAZIL, ARAGUAYA RIVER
TIM I LOOK FORWARD TO PICTURES OF THE NEW CLUB. :)

Update, not long now finally on the long journey to me. For the time being some interesting info on conflict in the early to mid 20th century.

https://pib.socioambiental.org/en/povo/kaiabi/273

I have it. Is nice. The only fly in the ointment is two screw hole damage where it has been mounted on a display board. I can sort that out. Made of a palm wood and stained black. 114 cm long. I wonder why, as with similar form clubs from different people of the same local, there is a carved concave curve to one side of the distal end? I suppose we will never know? I am showing it next to two Fijian clubs it illustrate the value for money Amazon clubs are. They may not have the collector desire glossy patina but there are a lot less of them.

NICE ONE TIM, I ESPECIALLY LIKE THAT THE WOVEN FIBER IS INTACT. AS TO THE CONCAVE SIDE AT THE CLUBS STRIKING END MANY TYPES OF PALM TREE HAVE A HARD OUTER PART TO THE TRUNK WITH A SOFTER INNER PART. THAT'S JUST THE OPPOSITE OF MOST HARD WOOD TREES WHICH ARE DICOTS. IF I AM CORRECT PALM TREES FALL INTO THE MONOCOT TYPE. IT COULD HAVE BEEN MADE THAT WAY TO USE FOR SCOOPING SOMETHING IF THEY USED WAR CLUBS FOR MULTI- PURPOSE TOOLS I MAY AS WELL LINK THE OTHER THREAD ON SOUTH AMERICAN CLUBS TO THIS ONE TOO.

:shrug:http://www.vikingsword.com/vb/showthread.php?t=21882

HERE ARE SOME PICTURES OF ANOTHER FORM OF SOUTH AMERICAN CLUB POSSIBLY FROM THE APARI OR WAYANA TRIBES. BRAZIL REGION ALONG THE PARU DE LESTE RIVER. A TYPE OF CLUB USED BY SHAMAN THE CLUB IS CALLED KAPARU.
#1. FIRST CLUB NOT MINE SIZE UNKNOWN BUT LIKELY OF SIMILAR AGE AND SIZE AS #2. .
#2, #3. MY CLUB 24 AND ONE QUARTER INCHES LONG CARVED DESIGNS BOTH SIDES, COTTON CORDS
#4. SIMILAR CLUB AND DESIGN MORE RECENT EXAMPLE WITH PIG TEETH ADDED AND PAINTED BLACK.MINE 29.5 INCHES LONG.
#5. & #6. COLLECTED FROM THE TRIBE ALONG THE PARU DE LESTE RIVER, 31 AND THREE QUARTERS INCH LONG, 6 IN. WIDE. LATE 1990'S FEATURED IN A DISPLAY AT THE SAINT LOUIS MUSEUM. I BOUGHT THE CLUB FROM THE COLLECTOR/ DEALER MR. GRIMM IN 2013. MR. GRIMM SUPPLIED QUITE A LOT OF MUSEUMS WITH THEIR COLLECTIONS AND DID SOME EXHIBITS AND AUCTIONED A LARGE AMOUNT OF SOUTH AMERICAN TRIBAL ITEMS. ARTEPRIMITIVO HAD SOME CATALOGS FULL OF A WIDE RANGE OF THE THINGS HE COLLECTED AND ARE A GOOD REFERENCE. HE WAS ROBBED AND KILLED IN BRAZIL AROUND 2014 ON HIS 93 RD. COLLECTING EXPEDITION. I LOST A FRIEND AND WE ALL LOST A TRUE EXPERT AND A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE AS WELL. HE WAS MARRIED TO A MEMBER OF THE YANAMO TRIBE AND HAD VISITED MANY VILLAGES AND TRIBES OVER THE YEARS. THE MOST DANGEROUS JUNGLES IN BRAZIL LIKE THE U.S.A. ARE THE CITIES AND THAT IS WHERE HE LOST HIS LIFE. :(

Barry, I do not think the hollow at the distal end is due to the pith under the hard wood of palm timber. You can see from these new pictures rather bright as the flash was on, that the hollow is within the hard wood being virtually a continuation of the main solid club. There must be some other reason for this feature? Also the strange pointy tip on the convex side. Interesting similaities between the Kayabi club and the Ikpeng club. Both made of palm wood, though they are different palm timbers. The Kayabi is a lighter brown timber and although a larger club at 1.433kg. The Ikpeng club smaller, of a dark brown to black timber is 1.628kg. Like combatants in other parts of the world. Conflicts are fought with very similar weapons of differing styles.

Interesting extract about conflict and contact.
https://www.jstor.org/stable/2020374...n_tab_contents

The black and white aerial photo of Kayabi village was taken 1958.

Reminds me of the cross-section of many Dayak parangs, concave on the inside. Maybe it improves the chopping potential of the club if used to strike on a particular trajectory? After all these bladed clubs were intended to chop into the opponent rather than just bludgeon them. Cleaner bone breaks and perhaps a little cleaving into the flesh.

Shipibo and "Kayapo" clubs don't feature this - but then again that means they'll be easily used to strike on any practical swing.

:shrug:

Nice examples found here- http://fotoweb.pesquisakino.com:8080...arch=pesquisar

That link seems not working now, so I have saved the pictures and add them in this reply.

Some interesting sculptural club forms Tim, thanks for posting. What institution is it ?

I AM GLAD TO SEE THE PICTURES POSTED SITES AND PICTURES OFTEN GO MISSING LEAVING US WITH A GAP IN FORUM POSTS. I DIDN'T GET A TRANSLATION ON THESE PICTURES BUT FROM WHAT I SAW IT APPEARS THEY ARE KAYAPO TRIBE BRAZIL. A NICE RANGE OF EXCELLENT EXAMPLES.

These pictures are from the; Memorial of Indigenous Peoples - Brasilia DF 2016

I have been lucky to acquire another Wayana club. Which prompted more searching for information on the form. Finally I used the right wording and found all I need in a dissertation from Florida University for a doctorate.

The club is known as a Kapalu carried by chief/shaman important enough to be carried on the shoulder of a minion to event of use. It is a war club but ceremonial representing awesome power not unlike nuclear weapons in our minds. The spike end is used to support the club upright in the grouned by the hammock of the chief. The real use of these and war clubs has more or less ended at the close of the 20th century. The link has so much information. The most relevant pages are 372-374 for greater learning.

The new acquisition is the dark painted example. From the shipping cost I think it is made from a soft light wood which is usual, the other example is a heavy hard wood. Lesser quality versions are made as trade items.

http://etd.fcla.edu/UF/UFE0041100/duin_r.pdf

This example is from French Guiana. This Christian mission site like has some interesting stats:

http://www.peoplegroups.org/explore/...=16344#topmenu

Yet more Stats

https://intercontinentalcry.org/indi...eoples/wayana/

Missionary with Wayana 1955