MOST DESIRED OCEANIC WAR CLUBS: 2 COOK ISLANDS

[VANDOO]

THIS IS AN UNCOMMON CLUB AND NOT AS WELL KNOWN AS THE FIRST CLUB. YOU CAN SEE NICE EXAMPLES IN THE MUSEUM IN AUKLAND N.Z.
THESE CLUBS COME FROM THE COOK ISLANDS AND CAN BE FROM 6 TO 9 FEET LONG. THERE IS A LITTLE INFORMATION ON THEM IN PARTINGTON'S BOOK ON PAGE 6.
IT IS ONE OF MY FAVORITES AS IT REMINDS ME OF THE KNAPPED STONE POINTS I FIND AROUND HERE. THERE ARE NOT MANY PICTURES AVAILABLE OF THESE CLUBS THE MOST I HAVE SEEN ARE IN OLDMANS CATALOGS.
I HAVE SEEN THE CLUB REFERRED TO AS AKATARA CLUB BUT DON'T KNOW THE REFRENCE THE NAME CAME FROM.
IDENTIFIED IN PARTINGTON'S BOOK AS COMING FROM MANGAIA ISLAND WHICH IS THE SECOND LARGEST ISLAND IN THE GROUP AFTER RARATONGA. THE EXAMPLES SHOWN IN PARTINGTONS BOOK ARE 6 FOOT 5 INCHES, 7 FOOT 11 IN. AND 9 FT. 3 INCHES LONG. I WILL SEE IF I CAN FIND OLDMANS CATALOG TO SEE IF THERE IS MORE INFORMATION THERE.
I INCLUDE TWO PICTURES OF STONE POINTS FOR COMPARISON. THE SERRATED EDGE WAS AROUND IN STONE AND WOOD LONG BEFORE IT WAS DONE IN METAL.
EXCUSE THE OTHER MATERIAL IN SOME PICTURES AS I CAN'T CROP PHOTOS AS MY SOFTWARE IS KAPUT. THERE ARE SEVERAL PICTURES OF THE SAME CLUB SHOWING VARIOUS PARTS IT WAS SOLD AT AUCTION A WHILE BACK SO I DON'T KNOW ITS AGE BUT IT IS WELL MADE. THE TRIBES IN THE COOKS WERE OF MAORI STOCK. BUT NOTE THE EYES BELOW THE CLUB HEAD IT LOOKS A BIT MARQUESAN.

[Dom]

Originally Posted by VANDOO

I INCLUDE TWO PICTURES OF STONE POINTS FOR COMPARISON. THE SERRATED EDGE WAS AROUND IN STONE AND WOOD LONG BEFORE IT WAS DONE IN METAL..

Hi Vandoo
funny, was my thought when I saw the metal blade in shape of prehistoric artifacts ... in stone
I've several heads arrow in stone, I've collected them in South Algerian (Timimoun area) Sahara, where I've been resident for years, stone artifacts old ± 5500 years
one of them has exactly the same barbs, and then when I've read your comments,
I've laughed, you was fully correct, look at my pic

à +

Dom

[VANDOO]

ONE MORE PICTURE SHOWING THE CLUB AND A SPEAR. THIS FORM OF CLUB MAY BE BOTH CLUB AND SPEAR IN FUNCTION SORT OF LIKE A POLE ARM. THE OTHER IS LIKELY ONLY USED AS A SPEAR. PERHAPS SOMEONE WITH BETTER REFRENCES ON THE WEAPONS OF THE COOK ISLANDS CAN ELABORATE.

[Diceman]

This might help?

From, Pacific Encounters by Hooper

[T. Koch]

I've just seen one of these guys estimated at $100,000 - 150,000.- at an upcoming auction.

Weird then, that the book desribes it as "common in collections"... Although, I guess it depends on who your collector friends are?

Holy crap, I want one soooooo bad!!


Thanks for posting the picture - I hope this thread lives on for long and keeps growing!


Best regards, - Thor

[Diceman]

I saw that too. I also saw one go for over 300k in 2010.

I have more info on these in some of my reference books, I will see what I can come up with.

[colin henshaw]

Nice thread VANDOO, keep it going...

Just to mention - the wooden spear on the right in post no. 3 is from the Austral Islands, not Cook Islands, as far as I know.

Regards

[VANDOO]

IT IS OFTEN DIFFICULT TO KNOW WHAT YOU ARE LOOKING AT ON THE INTERNET. THE PICTURE YOU MENTION HAD NO TEXT SO I RECOGNIZED ONE CLUB AS DEFINITELY FROM THE COOK ISLANDS SO ASSUMED THE OTHER ITEM WAS FROM THERE ALSO. THE PRESENCE OF WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE EYE CARVINGS BELOW THE POINT FURTHER MADE ME SUSPECT THE TWO WERE FROM THE SAME SOURCE ( THANKS FOR THE CORRECTION .
OFTEN ANY TEXT PICTURED IS TOO SMALL TO READ MAKEING IT EVEN MORE OF A GUESSING GAME. GOOD HARD COPY REFRENCES ARE ALWAYS MORE DESIRABLE BUT SO MUCH IS UNAVAILABLE OR BEYOND MY PRICE RANGE GETTING THE ODD BIT FROM THE INTERNET IS OFTEN THE ONLY EASY SOURCE. THESE POSTS ARE NOT GOING TO BE PERFECT AND MISTAKES WILL BE MADE BUT GETTING TOGETHER AS MANY PICTURES AND REFRENCE TOGETHER IN ONE PLACE IS THE OBJECT. THAT IS WHY ANY CORECTIONS OR ADDITIONS TO THE TOPIC ARE IMPORTANT AND MUCH APRECIATED AS I HOPE NOT TO PERPETUATE ANY INCORECT INFORMATION OR CREATE ANY NEW MIS-INFORMATION. HOPEFULLY THESE POSTS ON CLUBS WILL CONTINUE TO BE CORRECTED, MODIFIED AND GROW AS MORE MATERIAL BECOMES AVAILABLE.

[kronckew]

ref. link: Poo Rapa thread with a few more pics.

POO RAPA short club, attributed to Rarotonga, Cook islands:

looks like a traditional form as in the posts above. does not appear to be very old. listed as 'vintage' circa mid 20th c.

13.75 in long 5.5 in. across the blade 5/8in. thick. hardwood.

it weighs 260 grams (0.57 lb or 9.17 oz.)

the serrated 'edge' is sharp all the way around. there is some very slight wear on the short edge, leading me to think it has been used, and that it is used like an axe, and by thrusting like a maori patu. there is a very small chip off the rounded exterior 'corner' of the short edge. the grip is not uncomfortable, the serrations add to keeping a secure grip. not sure if it would remain comfortable with sustained use, but i doubt a combat with it would last long, win or lose.

there are parallel scratches transverse and longitudinal that appear to be from sanding with, er...sand. it has an lightly varnished but matt surface. could be an oil finish.

the holes are all the same, about 1/8 in. & look like they are from a modern twist drill. one hole had a small seed husk in it, but no seed. overall, some slight dings from handling.

the coconut fibre hanging loop is braided & looks old. it has a much thinner tan cotton loop added that appears to have once been attached to a, sadly now missing, label tag that may have had more info.

[VANDOO]

VERY WELL DONE. THANKS

[kronckew]

Found another photo of one on the interweb. it had fibres at the top thru the two holes then wrapped into one short brush/wisk.