MOST DESIRED OCEANIC WAR CLUBS 4: SAMOA

[VANDOO]

#1 & 2. BOOK PLATES OF VARIOUS SAMOAN WEAPONS
#3. SAMOAN CHIEF DURING SAMOAN WARS PERIOD 1880'S
#4. & 5. WARRIORS FROM SAMOAN WARS PERIOD 1880'S.
#6. SAMOAN KNIFE DANCE 1910
#7. 1920 TO 1930 SAMOA
#8. 1952 SAMOAN KNIFE DANCE
#9. 1906 PAGOPAGO SAMOA
#10. SAMOA
#11. SAMAON KING MATAAFA
#12. SAMOAN SPEARS.

[VANDOO]

MORE PICTURES
# 1 & 2. TRADE ENGLISH BILLHOOK TYPE BLADE FOR TRADE IN SAMOA BEAL AND SONS, IT IS LIKELY JUST THE BLADES WERE SENT AND THEN MOUNTED LOCALLY THE SAME SYSTEM WAS USUALLY USED WITH AX HEADS.
# 3, 4 & 5 VARIATIONS ON THE LAUFA'I (BANNA LEAF FORM CLUB)#3 IS 20 IN. LONG, #4 IS 54 CM. LONG.
#6 & 7. LAUFA'I FORM WITH RIDGES / SMALL TEETH, #6 IS 32.5 IN. LONG
#8 EARED CLUB IS 24 INCHES LONG
#9 VARIATION OF NIFO OTI TOOTHED CLUB
# 10 CLOSEUP DETAIL OF NICE SAMOAN LIME FILLED DESIGN
# 11 & 12 BILATERAL TOOTHED CLUBS

[drac2k]

VANDOO,
On your 14th post you gave an example of whaling tools;I believe those to be Chinese polearms, one of them being a Chinese Tiger Fighting spear of which I have just acquired 2 of the spear heads.They are very massive.
I am very much enjoying your posts on clubs !
Respectively,
David

[VANDOO]

THANKS FOR THE CORRECTION YOU ARE PROBABLY RIGHT IT LOOKED LIKE A TIGER SPEAR TO ME AND THE ONE RIGHT UNDER IT LOOKED LIKE A BOAT HOOK. THE INTERNET SITE IDENTIFIED THEM AS WHALEING TOOLS I GUESS THEY JUST TOLD ME A WHALE OF A TALE . TAKEING A BIT MORE TIME I FOUND A FEW PICTURES SHOWING SOME REAL EXAMPLES UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE NOT FOUND ONE RESEMBELING THE SAMOAN KNIFE.
PICTURE #1 THE ORIGINAL MISLEADING PICTURE
#2. A BLUBBER HOOK IN USE
# 3. A DISPLAY OF FLENSING TOOLS AT A MUSEUM.
# 4 & 5. WHALEING TOOLS #5 SHOWS THE ENDS NOT IN PICTURE #4 THE HEAD SPADE USED PRIMARELY TO REMOVE THE HEAD. AND WHAT IS CALLED THE BOARDING KNIFE A LONG SHARP BLADED KNIFE WHICH IS USED TO CUT LARGE STRIPS OF BLUBBER OFF THE CARCASS.
#6. A FANCIFUL DRAWING FROM 1574 FRANCE SHOWING A FEMALE WHALE BEING FLENCED EVEDINTELY THIS WAS ACCOMPANIED BY A BAG PIPE AND CONDUCTOR THE SMELL AND SOUNDS WOULD NO DOUBT HAVE BEEN VERY MEMORABLE.

[VANDOO]

A FEW MORE PICTURES. #1 & #2 A FORM OF BILATERAL CLUB WITH VERY THIN TEETH LIKELY AROUND 1950'S TO 1960'S WITH WHITE LIME INLAY, 27 INCHES LONG.
#3 TWO EARED FORM CLUBS. THE LARGE ONE IS MODERN OF EXTRA LARGE SIZE WITH NO WHITE LIME INLAY. THE SMALLER IS OF THE USUAL CORRECT SIZE AND DID HAVE LIME INLAY NOW LONG GONE. SMALL ONE 20 INCHES LONG AND LARGE ONE 31.5 INCHES LONG
#4. THREE CLUBS OF SIMULAR FORM AND AGE TWO 37 INCHES LONG AND ONE 21.5 INCHES LONG
#5 ,#6 & #7 A PRE CONTACT EXAMPLE WITH BATTLE DAMMAGE AND STAINING TO THE STRIKING END. THIS IS THE KIND OF DAMMAGE AND STAINING TO BE EXPECTED FROM A CLUB THAT HAS SEEN ACTUAL USE IN WAR. THIS IS A VERY HEAVY HARD WOOD WITH NO SIGNS OF DECORATION BUT HAS THE LUG ON THE POMMEL FOR A CORD WHICH IS FOUND IN TONGA AND SAMOA 29.5 INCHES LONG.
#8 , #9 & #10. THREE CLUBS ONE WITH BLACK MARKINGS 49 INCHES LONG MAY NOT BE SAMOAN BUT RESEMBLES A SAMOAN FORM. ONE MORE OF A SPEAR 51.5 INCHES LONG. THE SHORT ONE IS A SAMOA SOUVINEER AROUND WW2 ERA. 27 INCHES LONG.
#11 & 12 A SQUARE BILLET FORM OF CLUB DEEPLY CARVED EITHER TONGA OR SAMOA LIKELY 1960'S, 31.5 INCHES LONG

[KraVseR]

I have a question: what weapon uses Samoan police?

[VANDOO]

IN THE POST ABOVE PICTURE #8 OF 3 CLUBS THE MIDDLE ONE WITH BLACK MARKINGS IS NOT FROM SAMOA THE OTHER TWO ARE.
THE COLONIAL GERMAN COMANDERS AND TROOPS WERE ARMED WITH PISTOLS AND WHATEVER ELSE THEY THOUGHT THEY MIGHT NEED. THE SAMOAN CONSTABLES IN WESTERN SAMOA ( GERMAN FROM 1887 TO 1914) HAD RIFLES USUALLY WITHOUT THE BOLTS ON GAURD DUTY. BOLTS AND AMMO WERE ISSUED WHEN POLICE WERE MUSTERED FOR COMBAT OR FORAYS AGAINST RESISTANCE. FOR LOCAL CONTROL PERHAPS A BATON SUCH AS POLICE USED IN MANY COUNTRIES AT THE TIME.
NEW ZEALAND TOOK OVER IN 1914 WW1 AND DRAFTED AND FORMED LARGE NUMBERS OF SAMOAN TROOPS FOR USE IN WW1. THE POLICE PROBABLY WERE EQUIPED THE SAME AS UNDER THE GERMANS. WESTERN SAMOA GOT ITS INDEPENDENCE IN 1962. UNFORTUNATELY I DON'T HAVE A PICTURE OF THE POLICE WITH THEIR ARMS.

[VANDOO]

I WILL COVER MODERN CLUBS IN THIS POST THERE WAS QUITE A VARIETY OF THESE CLUBS COMING OUT OF WESTERN SAMOA TO BE FOUND ON EBAY. THERE ARE NOT AS MANY ON EBAY FOR NOW BUT I HOPE THIS DOES NOT MEAN THE OLD CARVERS HAVE PASSED OR JUST STOPPED CARVING DUE TO LACK OF DEMAND. THESE CLUBS SOMETIMES FOLLOW OLD FORMS AND DESIGNS AND SOMETIMES INCORPORATE NEW DESIGNS OR MODIFICATIONS. SOME CROSS OVER INTO PURE FANTASY AND SOME ARE MADE IN SMALLER THAN ORIGINAL SIZE FOR TOURIST TRANSPORT AND SOME ARE MADE IN LARGER THAN ORIGINAL. SOME CLUBS ARE STAINED DARK AND THEN CARVED TO SHOW THE LIGHTER WOOD SOME ARE JUST CARVED WITH DESIGNS INTO THE WOOD AND LEFT NATURAL. TAPA DESIGNS ARE USED BOTH MODERN AND OLDER TRADITIONAL. SOME CLUBS CROSS OVER INTO FIJI AND TONGAN FORMS OTHERS ARE STRICTLY SAMOAN. TODAYS CLUBS DO NOT FEATURE THE OLD TRADITIONAL WHITE LIME INFILL IN THE CARVINGS. IN A 100 YEARS OR SO NO DOUBT THESE WILL BE COLLACTABLE ESPECIALLY IF CARVING THEM COMES TO AN END. IN THE MEANTIME THEY ARE WELL DONE PICES OF ART AND ARE AFFORDABLE IF ONE WANTS A REPLICA OF A RARE OR EXPENSIVE FORM OF CLUB OR A NICE WALL HANGER.
PICTURES 1,2 & 3. THESE THREE CLUBS ARE SAID TO COME FROM WESTERN SAMOA FROM THE VILLAGE OF UAFATO IN THE REMOTE FAGALOA BAY AREA OF UPOLU ISLAND. THEY FURTHER STATE THAT THERE ARE 8 VILLAGES THERE WHERE THE TRADITIONAL WOOD CARVINGS ARE STILL DONE. THESE FAMILIES HAVE BEEN CARVING CLUBS FOR MANY GENERATIONS FOR CENTURIES. UNFORTUNATELY NEVER HAVING VISITED I CAN ONLY REPEAT WHAT WAS WRITTEN BY THE SELLER. THIS SELLER DID HAVE A WIDE RANGE OF CLUBS FOR QUITE A WHILE ON EBAY.
4. A SHORT HAND CLUB SAID TO BE COMING FROM APIA THE CAPTAL OF WESTERN SAMOA.
5. A FANTASY 36 INCH LONG FIJI CANNIBAL FORK CLUB WITH A TWISTED SPIRAL HANDLE.
6. A 37 INCH, TALAVALU FORM OF CLUB
7, 8 & 9. VARIOUS AX FORMS BASED MOSTLY ON FANTASY DESIGNS THE LONGER SINGLE BLADED FORM BEING CLOSEST TO THE ACTUAL FORMS FOUND.
10. ANOTHER TRADITIONAL CLUB FORM WITH A FANTASY SPLIT TIP.
11 & 12 VARIOUS SHORT ITEMS FOR TOURISTS.

[KraVseR]

Thanks, and what weapon uses Samoan police today? What kind of handguns?

[VANDOO]

THIS IS THE LAST OF THE PICTURES I HAVE ON HAND AND NO NEW INFORMATION HAS SURFACED. PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ADD PICTURES OF ANY EXAMPLES YOU MAY HAVE IN YOUR COLLECTIONS OR PICTURES THAT ARE DIFFERENT OR BETTER THAN THOSE ALREADY IN THIS REFRENCE. ANY REVELANT QUESTIONS, NEW INFORMATION OR CORRECTIONS TO THIS TOPIC ARE WELCOME.
PICTURE #1 & #2 . 1900 APIA SAMOA WARRIORS
#3. PALM LEAF FORM SAMOAN CLUB
#4. TYPICAL SAMOAN SOUVINEERS MOST SMALL ENOUGH FOR A SUITCASE
#5, #6, & #7. SHORT REPLICA SOUVINEER CLUBS , MUSEUM REPLICAS
# 8. 1913 WARRIOR CARD
# 9. & # 10. SAID TO BE CLUB BROUGHT BACK BY MISSONARY IN 1850 , 30 INCHES LONG.
#11. BRONZE STATUE SAMOA
#12. I LOOKED FOR SAMOAN CLUB STAMPS BUT ALL I COULD FIND WERE BATS

[VANDOO]

I RECENTLY AQUIRED THIS UNUSUAL CLUB. IT IS FROM SAMOA AND WAS COLLECTED IN 1931 UNFORTUNATELY SOMEONE RESTORED THE WHITE INFILL WITH SOMETHING OTHER THAN LIME. THE FORM IS UNUSUAL AS IT IS A PALM FROND FORM THAT HAS BEEN ALTERED TO INCLUDE A CARVED CANOE ON ONE SIDE. IN SAMOA AS WELL AS OTHER ISLANDS THE CANOE IS A SIGN OF WEALTH AND POWER AND PLAYS AN IMPORTANT PART IN THEIR SOCIETIES. THIS CLUB IS 31.5 IN. LONG AND IS THE ONLY EXAMPLE I HAVE SEEN OF ITS TYPE. THE CANOE IS HOLLOWED OUT BUT WOULD STILL STRIKE A NASTY BLOW.
IN TIME THIS FORM MAY HAVE BECOME TRADITIONAL OR IT MAY HAVE SERVED SOME PURPOSE IN THE TRIBE. EITHER WAY IT WOULD BE A GOOD WEAPON AS THE WOOD IS HARD AND HEAVY AND WELL BALANCED.
PIC. #1. THE SAMOAN CLUB/ CANOE VARIATION. 31.5IN.L.
#2. A CARVED SAMOAN CANOE FROM THE SAME TIME PERIOD. 23.25 IN. LONG
#3. 15IN.L. SAMOAN WOODEN AX CLUB
#4. 26 IN.L. CIRC 1960, WOOD NIFO OTI FORM
#5, #6, #7. 31 IN. L. BILATERAL TOOTHED CLUB
#8. 76 CM. WOOD NIFO OTI FORM

[blue lander]

This thread inspired me to buy a modern war club off e-bay. It just arrived today and it's pretty nice, but there's a sticker on the butt that says "MADE IN INDONESIA"

[VANDOO]

THERE IS A NEW CLUB SIMULAR IN FORM 5 POSTS BEFORE YOUR POST. PICTURE #4. SHOWS A CLUB MUCH LIKE YOURS SAID TO BE MADE IN APIA SAMOA. IT IS UNFORTUNATE WHEN THINGS ARE CARVED IN A DIFFERENT CLUTURE AND COUNTRY AS IT BECOMES AN ITEM WITH NO ETHINOGRAPHICAL CONTEXT. IT DOES EXHIBIT THE LIKENESS OF THE FORM WELL ENOUGH AND WITHOUT THE TAG ONE WOULD TAKE IT AS A MODERN SAMOAN TOURIST CLUB. IT DOES REPRESENT THAT FORM OF CLUB ADEQUATELY BUT HOPEFULLY THE PRICE WAS LOW. I WISH THEY WOULD MAKE SOME CLUBS FROM THEIR CULTURE THOUGH AS IT LOWERS THE PRICE ON THE CLUBS THAT ARE BEING MADE IN SAMOA BY SAMOANS.

[blue lander]

The price wasn't too bad, less than $100, and I'm actually fairly happy with it as a hand made decorative piece. The auction description said it was made of vesi wood, I wonder if it really is.

I've uploaded the photo from the auction and it looks like it's propped up on the same rock as several of the clubs from your post. I don't think it'd be too much of a stretch to assume any club with a similar picture was made in Indonesia as well. The "Made in Indonesia" sticker is very small and lightly glued to the bottom of the handle so an unscrupulous seller could easily remove it.

[VANDOO]

YES IT WOULD APPEAR MANY OF THE CLUBS CURRENTLY ON EBAY AS WELL AS SOME OF THOSE RECENT ONES PICTURED ABOVE IN THE POST MAY BE FROM THE SAME SOURCE AS YOUR CLUB. IT HAS TO BE THE SAME ROCK AND FISH POND AREA IN SEVERAL PICTURES. SO I GUESS THE BEST WAY TO COLLECT THE MODERN ONES FROM SAMOA WOULD BE TO VISIT SAMOA BUT EVEN THEN CHECK FOR SMALL TAGS. WELL IT DOES SERVE AS A WARNING AND SUPPLYS NEW INFORMATION ON SOME OF WHAT IS ON THE MARKET THAT IS NOT LEGIT.

[VANDOO]

A INTERESTING VARIATION OF NIFO OTI CLUB RECENTLY CLOSED ON EBAY. IT WAS RATHER LARGE FOR THE TYPE 51 INCHES LONG AND 10 POUNDS. THE WORD SAMOA IS CARVED ON IT SO IT IS A GOOD EXAMPLE OF A OLDER TOURIST PIECE FROM SAMOA, LIKELY AROUND 1930'S. THE UNIQUE FEATURE IS THAT IT HAS TWO SPIKES ON THE TOP EDGE.
picture #1,#2,#3,#4 the club mentioned above.
#5. 14.5 in. long samoan club
#6. 2 samoan clubs longest 26.5 in. L
#7. 21.5 IN. SAMOAN CLUB
#8 & #9. 60 CM. LONG 1900 SAMOAN CLUB.

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by blue lander

The price wasn't too bad, less than $100, and I'm actually fairly happy with it as a hand made decorative piece. The auction description said it was made of vesi wood, I wonder if it really is.

I've uploaded the photo from the auction and it looks like it's propped up on the same rock as several of the clubs from your post. I don't think it'd be too much of a stretch to assume any club with a similar picture was made in Indonesia as well. The "Made in Indonesia" sticker is very small and lightly glued to the bottom of the handle so an unscrupulous seller could easily remove it.

i found a similar one on e-pray. unfortunately i did not find your post before that. reasonably nice display club, evident rough carved tool marks, stained black then carved to show a light brown wood underneath. sold as 'samoan' and again, vesi wood. i suspect the wood probably would look better unblacked as a nice grain appears in the carved bits. 20 inches, hemp wrapped grip. 354 grams. luckily fairly cheap, especially compared to the other offerings of hawaiian shark toothed koa wood.

nice 'made in indonesia' sticker. easily removed. surprised hawaiian vendor didn't bother to remove it, while he needs to update his online descriptions, at least he left the sticker on. i think i'll stick to maori clubs for the moment

i'll do a bit more caveating of my emptors in future.

[blue lander]

I was half tempted to return mine, but I decided to keep it since as you say it looks nice and it appears to be hand made. I don't recommend playing with it much, the hemp wrapped around the handle is just glued on, and will eventually slide off if you handle it too much.

[ward]

Barry,

Your pics and posts are invaluable.

thanks

[kronckew]

re:hemp wrap.

i noticed that, mine was loose at the front already, and only the last few turns near the 'pommel' end were glued. i tightened it as much as i could & soaked tre cord in a 50:50 mix of outdoor acrylic wood glue & water, gluing it further to itself as well as the handle. seems to have worked. been debating whether to give it a hand rubbed boiled linseed oil finish as the wood appears a bit dry. the edges of the main section are sharper than i expected. they would definitely hurt if used. i am however not intending to go into battle with it.might kill a melon tho...

i thought the axe shaped ones were a bit too touristy. i now note they may be closer to the real thing

p.s. - i photoshopped out the traditional perch rock, it was same as yours!


p.p.s. - i just was struck by the last photo in vanadoo's post no. 38 above. the artist must have been scared by a viking longship. looks just like one of their dragon figureheads. is this evidence the viking made it to the south pacific? thor heyerdahl, where are you when we need you?

[dvpriem]

My father was on the SS Mariposa and went to Samoa and Fiji in 1935. He brought back a club. It does not look like a tourist item and he said it was an authentic "war club". Based on clubs I have seen on this site, and those with simple designs and some simple ribbing, I think it may be Samoan. Can anyone enlighten me whether if it is Samoan and what "type" of club it is? Club is 30 inches long.

[kronckew]

Originally Posted by dvpriem

.. Can anyone enlighten me whether if it is Samoan and what "type" of club it is? Club is 30 inches long.

it does look like others in this thread. i'm not one of the experts, hopefully one will be along soon to classify it. looks like a nice one tho.

[VANDOO]

dvpriem YOUR CLUB DOES APPEAR TO BE OF SAMOAN ORIGIN AND MOST CLOSELY MATCHES THE BANANA LEAF FORMS. UNFORTUNATELY MOST OF THE PICTURES IN THIS POST UNDER THE BANANA LEAF FORM ARE FROM TONGA. YOUR EXAMPLE IS A BETTER EXAMPLE OF THE SAMOAN INTERPRETATION OF THE FORM. IT DOES NOT HAVE THE SUSPENSION LUG ON THE BUTT AND HAS A SET OF RIDGES AND THE WHITE SHELL INLAY THAT IS COMMON ON WW2 AND OLDER SAMOAN CLUBS. CONGRATULATIONS ITS A NICE EXAMPLE OF THE FORM AND LOOKS TO BE WW2 OR OLDER
PIC'S OF A COUPLE MORE EXAMPLES OF SAMOAN ITEMS.
1. 27 IN.LONG. CLUB
2. 45 IN. LONG DANCE SPEAR 1960'S
3 & 4 & 5. 29 IN. LONG CLUB UNUSUAL NOTCHED STRIKING/THRUSTING END.

[VANDOO]

A FEW MORE SAMOAN CLUBS FOR REFRENCE.
#1. & #2. 20 INCH L. SHORT CLUB
#3. 19TH CENTURY CLUB/ SWORD, 33INCH LONG, BLADE 14.5 IN. NIFO-OTI TRADE BLADE.
#4. 32.5 IN. SAMOAN WOODEN SWORD CLUB
#5 & # 11, SMALL SAMOAN SOUVINER CLUB DATED 1942, UPOLU WESTERN SAMOA
#6. & #7. SAMOA CIRC 1850 TO 1899 , 76 CM. LONG UNUSUAL UNILATERAL TOOTHED FORM
#8 THRU # 10. 67 CM. LONG

[VANDOO]

#1. & #2. samoa nifo oti form club variation with inset steel blade 24 in. long
#3. & #4. samoan ear form of club, 78 cm. L. 19th. century
#5. old trade card samoan shiefs procession 1903 card
#6. old trade card samoa tree houses 1903
#7. King Maleitoa samoa 1875
#8., #9. & #10. 65 cm. long samoa toothed club
#11. 22 in. samoan club
#12. modern samoan souvineer clubs.

[VANDOO]

#1. REPLICA CLUB DISPLAY, MUSEUM
#2. BILATERAL TOOTHED CLUB
#3. SAMOAN NIFO OTI FORM CLUB
#4. OLD SAMOAN CHIEF WITH GUNS
#5. OLD PRINT SAMOA, VARIOUS WEAPONS
#6., #7. & #8. 47 INCH, SAMOAN CLUB WITH 8 SETS OF RIDGES
#9 & #10. EARED CLUB SAMOA
#11 & #12. OLD FORM OF SAMOAN CLUB

[VANDOO]

HERE IS A INTERESTING SET OF CLUBS SAID TO BE BROUGHT BACK TO NOVA SCOTIA BY A SAILOR CIRCA 1920. THEY APPEAR TO BE CARVED BY THE SAME CARVER AND MOST LIKELY MADE IN SAMOA. THE FORMS ARE A BIT DIFFERENT BUT THE CARVING IS WELL DONE BUT MOST LIKELY CEREMONIAL OR ARTISTIC TOURIST ITEMS. PATINA AND WEAR ABOUT RIGHT FOR 1920'S AND THE WOOD TYPE.
#1 & #2. 1920'S 29 INCH CLUB THE STRANGEST OF THE LOT
#3. , #4. & #5. 1920'S SAMOA 41 INCHES LONG
#6. & #7. 1920'S SAMOA 34 IN LONG
#8. & #9. 1920'S SAMOA 32 IN. LONG
# 10., #11, & #12. 1920'S SAMOA 40 INCHES LONG

[VANDOO]

A FEW MORE
#1. , #2., & #3. THE LAST CLUB IN THE SET OF 6 ,SEE FIRST 5 IN ABOVE POST. IT IS HEAVY AND 4 SIDED WITH THE SAME CARVINGS ON ALL SIDES. 35 INCHES LONG
#4., & #5. ANOTHER UNUSUAL FORM OF SAMOAN CLUB. 26.5 INCHES LONG.
#6., & #7. 25 X 6 INCHES SAMOAN WITH BONE INLAY
# 8. 33 INCH SAMOA CLUB
#9. & #10. 43 INCH SAMOAN SPEAR STAFF FORM CLUB/SPEAR
# 11. 22 INCH NIFO OTI WOOD CLUB

[VANDOO]

#1.,#2. & #3. A TYPE OF SAMOAN POLE CLUB WITH SEVERAL SIDES
RATHER THAN ROUND LIKE THOSE FROM FIJI AND TONGA, 28.5 INCHES LONG.

#4., #5, #6. & #7. ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF THE ABOVE CLUB FORM. 19TH
CENTURY, 36 INCHES LONG. THIS TYPE OF CLUB HAS BEEN REFEREED TO AS
FACETED.
#8., #9., #10., & #11. SAMOAN DESCRIBED AS, FA ALAUTALINGA ,29.5
INCHES LONG.
#12. WESTERN SAMOAN CLUB 1942 SMALLER BUT SIMILAR TO THE #1 CLUB.

[drac2k]

As per your request; it measures 31"long and is quite heavy for it's size.You advised me that it was Samoan, probably 1920's, 1930's and that the letters indicated Missionary influence.Any chance you know what it spells out or are they just random?