MOST DESIRED OCEANIC WAR CLUBS 4: SAMOA

[VANDOO]

I START THIS HERE AS PLANNED FOR THE SERIES SO I CAN KEEP THINGS IN ORDER.
THE ISLANDS OF SAMOA LIKE THE FIJI ISLANDS HAVE QUITE A LOT OF INFLUENCE FROM TONGA BUT LIKE FIJI HAVE THEIR OWN UNIQUE DESIGNS AS WELL. MANY CLUB FORMS ORIGINATED FROM THE SAME NATURAL SHAPES THE MOST PREVELENT BASIC FORM IS FROM THE COCONUT LEAF STALK, IN SAMOA THIS FORM OF CLUB IS CALLED ( LAPALAPA ). THEY ARE CARVED USING AN ADZ. CUTTING FROM THE CENTER LINE TO THE EDGES WHICH FORMS 4 ANGLED FLAT SURFACES WITH A THICKER RIB IN THE MIDDLE AND EDGES TO THE SIDES. THE STRIKING END OF THE CLUB IS WIDE AND TAPERS TO THE SMALLER ROUND GRIP. THIS COPIES THE COCONUT LEAF STALK, IF THE COCONUT LEAF WERE MADE OF HEAVY WOOD THEY COULD HAVE BEEN CONVERTED DIRECTLY INTO CLUBS. PERHAPS THE LEAF STALKS MAY HAVE BEEN USED FOR CLUB PRACTICE AS NOT MUCH HARM WOULD COME FROM SPARING WITH THEM.
THE LAPALAPA'S EARLY FORMS WERE LIKELY QUITE SIMPLE AND SOME HAD BRAIDED SENNIT BANDS IN GROUPS OF 3 TURNS FORMING RINGS ON THE CLUBS STRIKING END. LATER THESE CORD BANDS WERE REPLACED WITH CARVED WOOD RIDGES THAT "MAY " HAVE LEAD TO THE ADDING OF TEETH TO SAMOAN CLUBS. WHEN THESE RIDGES EXTEND BEYOND THE CLUBS STRIKING EDGES CONCENTRATING POWER TO A SMALLER AREA.
THE BUTT END (HANDLE/ GRIP) ON SAMOAN CLUBS FLARES OUT BUT DOES NOT HAVE A FLANGE AS FOUND ON SOME FIJI OR TONGAN CLUBS. THERE IS OFTEN A LUG WITH A HOLE FOR A CORD ON THE BUTT OF SOME FORMS OF SAMOAN CLUBS BUT IT IS ABSENT ON SOME FORMS AS WELL.
1. PICTURE SHOWING COCONUT TREE AND LEAF AND PARTS THERE OF.
2. PICTURE SHOWING PLAIN LAPULAPU AND VARIATIONS EVOLVING FROM THE SIMPLE ORIGINAL FORM.
3 & 4 & 8 A OLD STONE CARVED EXAMPLE HEAVY TONGAN INFLUENCE.44 X5 INCHES FIGURE 8 SHOWS TOP EDGE.
5. 29.25 INCH EXAMPLE WITH A FORKED END
6 & 7. 37 INCH MODERN EXAMPLE, SAMOA
9. 26 X 2.5 IN. VARIATION OF LAPULAPU
10. A PICTURE OF AN EXAMPLE BROUGHT BACK BY CAPTIAN COOK.
11. SAMOA WARRIOR WITH LAPULAPU CLUB
12. ANOTHER PAGE OF VARIATIONS OF LAPULAPU