Massim "sword club"

colin henshaw · 29th October 2015, 06:08 PM

Hi

Those on the forum who like Pacific weapons, might be interested to see this recent acquisition, a sword-club from the Massim area of New Guinea.

It shows the typical curvilinear decoration to be found on objects from that region. Perhaps the hilt finial is phallic in inspiration ? I imagine the weapon could be used for both slashing and thrusting blows in combat. Wonder if the "sword-club" concept was completely invented by the natives of New Guinea or inspired by swords carried by early European visitors ?

Comments and information are welcome, also if anyone has comparable examples, do please post them.

Jim McDougall · 30th October 2015, 09:11 PM

Hi Colin,
This is an intriguing item, and your observations and thoughts very interesting . While far from any area I have studied, I like the way you present ideas, and wanted to join in with what I could find.

I remembered a reference I have, but not presently with me, and luckily found it online.

" Weapons and Implements of Savage Races: Australasia, Oceania and Africa"
Lt Col. L.A.D.Montague, London, 1921

(the title could use some revision in todays P.C. climate

In the book I could find nothing similar to this in the section on the Massim area (old British New Guinea, southeast region), but turning to that on Australia I found a virtually identical example.

P.10, fig. 4 (4), which is from SE Australia and is a 'parrying stick' used to deflect kylie (boomerang) and spear, but also serves as a light club.
It seems most of these implement/weapons may serve as either and as required, but most items intended as clubs seem to be heavier toward business end or often angled as in Fijian examples.

The 'phallic' similarity seems to reflect influence from New Caledonian items which have 'mushroom heads' on many of them.

While it seems curious that this is captioned from Massim region, it is noted in that section that the weapons and implements of these regions are difficult to classify with considerable diffusion and outside influence. So perhaps this could be from there in some fashion influenced by these Australian examples.

Probably closer examination of either motif or type of wood etc might be more revealing. Hopefully Vandoo (the house expert on these types of esoterica) or Gav might be in on this as they have more familiarity.

kronckew · 30th October 2015, 09:25 PM

my massim png sword clubs for comparison: top one retains it's liming

colin henshaw · 31st October 2015, 04:20 PM

Thanks to Jim and kronkew for their input on this thread.

Jim, you raise some pertinent issues here, the diffusion of tribal weapons is certainly interesting though difficult to quantify sometimes. As you say, no doubt tribal weapons could be "multi-purpose", to suit the occasion. I have read that Aboriginal weapons from Queensland were sometimes influenced by the New Guinea Melanesians. Australia and New Guinea were geographically linked in the distant past. An example of this would be spears with multiple points which are seemingly to be found only in Northern Australia as well as New Guinea.

Kanak "birds head" clubs from New Caledonia are very similar to the Australian Aboriginal "leangle" club (both L shaped), but this may just be coincidence ? hard to say. My Massim club is made of palm wood, which is found throughout Melanesia, I believe.

The phallus shape was also used on New Caledonia clubs, as you have noted, but again whether this is just coincidence, I can't say. Procreation was of great importance to primitive peoples, but having said that, I have read that some Australian Aboriginal tribes historically did not associate the act of copulation with pregnancy !

I have the Montague book you mention...its a gem, there is an amusing bit in the hints to collectors, warning of potential damage to ethnographic items by the housemaid's brush !

If anyone else can expand on these topics, and/or post examples, references etc, please do so.

Jim McDougall · 31st October 2015, 06:01 PM

Colin, thank you for your kind and personal reply, very much appreciated, and especially for responding in such detail sharing further perspective on these fascinating Oceanic weapons.

Entering into this topic, as I noted, I had virtually zero knowledge on them or on clubs etc. for that matter. Your posting encouraged me to delve into this and try to gain at least some foothold on the subject.

With Kronckews entry with more examples, as well as your response I know I have learned a good deal along with my cursory research. I also hope others will join in by adding more examples and notes.
These truly are fascinating!

kronckew · 31st October 2015, 06:08 PM

the definitive series by vandoo "MOST DESIRED OCEANIC WAR CLUBS" 1-4 is a masterpiece and should be read by all clubbers, along with anything else he's posted.

tim's thread on massim sword clubs is also worth looking at, and shows some examples very similar to the original poster's here in this thread. just do a forum search on 'massim'.

Tim Simmons · 31st October 2015, 06:26 PM

I have only had time for these rather hasty pictures that I have been meaning to post here, to show how massive they can be. It has clear signs of metal tools. These over sized clubs are made for a festival dance. I have been informed as to the name of this festival. I have it somewhere in my email history. Will add it. Should be seen in the same light as the over sized Fijian clubs.

Tim Simmons · 1st November 2015, 09:45 AM

The information was less an I thought. Just that made for dance and the holes are for banana leave tassles pre 1920.

VANDOO · 2nd November 2015, 06:49 AM

THE FIRST CLUBS DESCRIBED AS MASSIM I EVER SAW WERE THE LARGE ONES WITH THE BLUNT END TO THE BLADE SUCH AS TIM AND KRONCKEW SHOW. THE OLDER ONES WERE USUALLY CARVED IN A PATTERN SIMILAR TO THE ONE SHOWN WITH THE LIME INLAY. THE SMALL THIN MORE SWORD LIKE ONES MAY HAVE BEEN AROUND LONGER BUT I DIDN'T START SEEING THEM UNTIL AROUND 25 TO 30 YEARS AGO.
THE MASSIM PEOPLE HAVE LONG BEEN CONSIDERED EXCELLENT WOOD CARVERS AND HAVE SEVERAL TYPICAL DESIGNS THAT HELP IDENTIFY THEIR CARVINGS. ONE ITEM THAT IS WIDELY COLLECTED FROM THE MASSIM ARE LIME SPATULAS SOME OF WHICH ARE VERY ORNATE AND WELL CARVED.
THE CARVING ON THE FIRST CLUB IN THIS POST IS NOT UP TO MASSIM CARVING STANDARDS, THE PATTERNS ARE RANDOM AND NOT SHARPLY OR WELL CARVED. PERHAPS A AMATEUR CARVER OR NON-MASSIM CARVER ?. OR HAVING ACCESS TO NO GOOD SHARP CARVING TOOLS COULD HAVE BROUGHT ABOUT THIS RESULT.? IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY THE MASSIM HAVE HAD ACCESS TO OBSIDIAN IN PRE-CONTACT TIMES , WHICH MAY EXPLAIN THEIR SUPERIOR CARVINGS.
AS TO THESE BEING DANCE CLUBS,

TODAY ALL CLUBS ARE DANCE CLUBS EVEN THOSE USED IN GOLF WHERE THE VICTORY AND TANTRUM DANCE CAN SOMETIMES BE SEEN.

BUT IN THE PAST THESE CLUBS WERE FOR WAR AS WELL AS DANCE. HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF VARIATIONS OF MASSIM CLUBS.
#1 AND #2. , 40.5 INCH MASSIM SWORD FORM CLUB
#3. ONE WIDE BLUNT FORM AND TWO SMALLER POINTED FORMS.
#4, #5. & #6. MASSIM SWORD CLUB 56 CM. LONG
#7 & #8. 33.5 INCH LONG MASSIM CLUB
#9. 23 IN. MASSIM CLUB
#10, #11, & #12. 44.5 CM. LONG MASSIM CLUB.

VANDOO · 3rd November 2015, 01:49 AM

HERE ARE A FEW MORE MASSIM CLUBS FOR REFERENCE. THERE ARE VARIATIONS IN THESE CLUBS WHICH MIGHT INDICATE WHICH GROUP, ISLAND OR TIME PERIOD THEY COME FROM. UNFORTUNATELY I DO NOT HAVE THE REFERENCES OR KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE THESE DISTINCTIONS. PERHAPS SOMEONE WHO SPECIALIZES IN THESE CLUBS WILL PASS BY IN FUTURE AND CLEAR THINGS UP FOR US.

NOTE THAT A COUPLE OF THE CLUBS HAVE A SIMPLER CARVED DESIGN MUCH LIKE THOSE SEEN IN FIJI OR SAMOA.

#1. 21.5 LONG X 3.34 INCHES WIDE
#2. RATHER PLAIN OLD CLUB.
#3., #4. & #5. CLUB 95 CM. LONG
#6. PICTURE IN A OLDER BOOK OF A MASSIM CLUB
#7, #8. MASSIM CLUB CIRCA 1930'S , 31 INCHES LONG
#9, #10. MASSIM CLUB 29 INCHES LONG
#11. MASSIM CLUB. 24 INCHES LONG.
#12. VARIATION OF A OLD MASSIM CLUB

VANDOO · 3rd November 2015, 04:11 AM

I HAVE BEEN GATHERING PICTURES OF THESE FOR SEVERAL YEARS WITH THE INTENTION OF MAKING A REFERENCE POST BUT HERE IS AS GOOD A PLACE AS ANY TO PUT IT. THIS IS ALL I HAVE AT PRESENT BUT PERHAPS I WILL ADD MORE IN FUTURE. EVERYONE FEEL FREE TO ADD TO AND BUILD THE REFERENCE.
#1., #2., #3. NICE OLD MASSIM CLUB FROM AN AUCTION, SIMILAR DESIGN TO THE ONE PICTURED IN THE BOOK PAGE POSTED ABOVE.
#4., #5. MASSIM CLUB , 64 CM. LONG
# 6. PICTURE OF ENTIRE MASSIM CLUB WITH FIJI STYLE DESIGNS AS SHOWN IN ABOVE POST.
#7. UNUSUAL MASSIM STYLE CLUB CRUDE FORM
# 8. MASSIM CLUB 70 CM. LONG
#9. MASSIM CLUB ESTIMATED 1900 TO 1930, 37 INCHES LONG.

29th October 2015, 06:08 PM	#1
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Massim "sword club" Hi Those on the forum who like Pacific weapons, might be interested to see this recent acquisition, a sword-club from the Massim area of New Guinea. It shows the typical curvilinear decoration to be found on objects from that region. Perhaps the hilt finial is phallic in inspiration ? I imagine the weapon could be used for both slashing and thrusting blows in combat. Wonder if the "sword-club" concept was completely invented by the natives of New Guinea or inspired by swords carried by early European visitors ? Comments and information are welcome, also if anyone has comparable examples, do please post them. Attached Images

30th October 2015, 09:11 PM	#2
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,944	Hi Colin, This is an intriguing item, and your observations and thoughts very interesting . While far from any area I have studied, I like the way you present ideas, and wanted to join in with what I could find. I remembered a reference I have, but not presently with me, and luckily found it online. " Weapons and Implements of Savage Races: Australasia, Oceania and Africa" Lt Col. L.A.D.Montague, London, 1921 (the title could use some revision in todays P.C. climate In the book I could find nothing similar to this in the section on the Massim area (old British New Guinea, southeast region), but turning to that on Australia I found a virtually identical example. P.10, fig. 4 (4), which is from SE Australia and is a 'parrying stick' used to deflect kylie (boomerang) and spear, but also serves as a light club. It seems most of these implement/weapons may serve as either and as required, but most items intended as clubs seem to be heavier toward business end or often angled as in Fijian examples. The 'phallic' similarity seems to reflect influence from New Caledonian items which have 'mushroom heads' on many of them. While it seems curious that this is captioned from Massim region, it is noted in that section that the weapons and implements of these regions are difficult to classify with considerable diffusion and outside influence. So perhaps this could be from there in some fashion influenced by these Australian examples. Probably closer examination of either motif or type of wood etc might be more revealing. Hopefully Vandoo (the house expert on these types of esoterica) or Gav might be in on this as they have more familiarity.

30th October 2015, 09:25 PM	#3
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,183	my massim png sword clubs for comparison: top one retains it's liming Attached Images Last edited by kronckew; 30th October 2015 at 09:36 PM.

31st October 2015, 04:20 PM	#4
colin henshaw Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Posts: 1,430	Thanks to Jim and kronkew for their input on this thread. Jim, you raise some pertinent issues here, the diffusion of tribal weapons is certainly interesting though difficult to quantify sometimes. As you say, no doubt tribal weapons could be "multi-purpose", to suit the occasion. I have read that Aboriginal weapons from Queensland were sometimes influenced by the New Guinea Melanesians. Australia and New Guinea were geographically linked in the distant past. An example of this would be spears with multiple points which are seemingly to be found only in Northern Australia as well as New Guinea. Kanak "birds head" clubs from New Caledonia are very similar to the Australian Aboriginal "leangle" club (both L shaped), but this may just be coincidence ? hard to say. My Massim club is made of palm wood, which is found throughout Melanesia, I believe. The phallus shape was also used on New Caledonia clubs, as you have noted, but again whether this is just coincidence, I can't say. Procreation was of great importance to primitive peoples, but having said that, I have read that some Australian Aboriginal tribes historically did not associate the act of copulation with pregnancy ! I have the Montague book you mention...its a gem, there is an amusing bit in the hints to collectors, warning of potential damage to ethnographic items by the housemaid's brush ! If anyone else can expand on these topics, and/or post examples, references etc, please do so.

31st October 2015, 06:01 PM	#5
Jim McDougall Arms Historian Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: Route 66 Posts: 9,944	Colin, thank you for your kind and personal reply, very much appreciated, and especially for responding in such detail sharing further perspective on these fascinating Oceanic weapons. Entering into this topic, as I noted, I had virtually zero knowledge on them or on clubs etc. for that matter. Your posting encouraged me to delve into this and try to gain at least some foothold on the subject. With Kronckews entry with more examples, as well as your response I know I have learned a good deal along with my cursory research. I also hope others will join in by adding more examples and notes. These truly are fascinating!

31st October 2015, 06:08 PM	#6
kronckew Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Room 101, Glos. UK Posts: 4,183	the definitive series by vandoo "MOST DESIRED OCEANIC WAR CLUBS" 1-4 is a masterpiece and should be read by all clubbers, along with anything else he's posted. tim's thread on massim sword clubs is also worth looking at, and shows some examples very similar to the original poster's here in this thread. just do a forum search on 'massim'.

31st October 2015, 06:26 PM	#7
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	I have only had time for these rather hasty pictures that I have been meaning to post here, to show how massive they can be. It has clear signs of metal tools. These over sized clubs are made for a festival dance. I have been informed as to the name of this festival. I have it somewhere in my email history. Will add it. Should be seen in the same light as the over sized Fijian clubs. Attached Images

1st November 2015, 09:45 AM	#8
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,807	The information was less an I thought. Just that made for dance and the holes are for banana leave tassles pre 1920.

2nd November 2015, 06:49 AM	#9
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THE FIRST CLUBS DESCRIBED AS MASSIM I EVER SAW WERE THE LARGE ONES WITH THE BLUNT END TO THE BLADE SUCH AS TIM AND KRONCKEW SHOW. THE OLDER ONES WERE USUALLY CARVED IN A PATTERN SIMILAR TO THE ONE SHOWN WITH THE LIME INLAY. THE SMALL THIN MORE SWORD LIKE ONES MAY HAVE BEEN AROUND LONGER BUT I DIDN'T START SEEING THEM UNTIL AROUND 25 TO 30 YEARS AGO. THE MASSIM PEOPLE HAVE LONG BEEN CONSIDERED EXCELLENT WOOD CARVERS AND HAVE SEVERAL TYPICAL DESIGNS THAT HELP IDENTIFY THEIR CARVINGS. ONE ITEM THAT IS WIDELY COLLECTED FROM THE MASSIM ARE LIME SPATULAS SOME OF WHICH ARE VERY ORNATE AND WELL CARVED. THE CARVING ON THE FIRST CLUB IN THIS POST IS NOT UP TO MASSIM CARVING STANDARDS, THE PATTERNS ARE RANDOM AND NOT SHARPLY OR WELL CARVED. PERHAPS A AMATEUR CARVER OR NON-MASSIM CARVER ?. OR HAVING ACCESS TO NO GOOD SHARP CARVING TOOLS COULD HAVE BROUGHT ABOUT THIS RESULT.? IF I REMEMBER CORRECTLY THE MASSIM HAVE HAD ACCESS TO OBSIDIAN IN PRE-CONTACT TIMES , WHICH MAY EXPLAIN THEIR SUPERIOR CARVINGS. AS TO THESE BEING DANCE CLUBS, TODAY ALL CLUBS ARE DANCE CLUBS EVEN THOSE USED IN GOLF WHERE THE VICTORY AND TANTRUM DANCE CAN SOMETIMES BE SEEN. BUT IN THE PAST THESE CLUBS WERE FOR WAR AS WELL AS DANCE. HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF VARIATIONS OF MASSIM CLUBS. #1 AND #2. , 40.5 INCH MASSIM SWORD FORM CLUB #3. ONE WIDE BLUNT FORM AND TWO SMALLER POINTED FORMS. #4, #5. & #6. MASSIM SWORD CLUB 56 CM. LONG #7 & #8. 33.5 INCH LONG MASSIM CLUB #9. 23 IN. MASSIM CLUB #10, #11, & #12. 44.5 CM. LONG MASSIM CLUB. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 3rd November 2015 at 01:31 AM.

3rd November 2015, 01:49 AM	#10
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	HERE ARE A FEW MORE MASSIM CLUBS FOR REFERENCE. THERE ARE VARIATIONS IN THESE CLUBS WHICH MIGHT INDICATE WHICH GROUP, ISLAND OR TIME PERIOD THEY COME FROM. UNFORTUNATELY I DO NOT HAVE THE REFERENCES OR KNOWLEDGE TO MAKE THESE DISTINCTIONS. PERHAPS SOMEONE WHO SPECIALIZES IN THESE CLUBS WILL PASS BY IN FUTURE AND CLEAR THINGS UP FOR US. NOTE THAT A COUPLE OF THE CLUBS HAVE A SIMPLER CARVED DESIGN MUCH LIKE THOSE SEEN IN FIJI OR SAMOA. #1. 21.5 LONG X 3.34 INCHES WIDE #2. RATHER PLAIN OLD CLUB. #3., #4. & #5. CLUB 95 CM. LONG #6. PICTURE IN A OLDER BOOK OF A MASSIM CLUB #7, #8. MASSIM CLUB CIRCA 1930'S , 31 INCHES LONG #9, #10. MASSIM CLUB 29 INCHES LONG #11. MASSIM CLUB. 24 INCHES LONG. #12. VARIATION OF A OLD MASSIM CLUB Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 3rd November 2015 at 02:02 AM.

3rd November 2015, 04:11 AM	#11
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I HAVE BEEN GATHERING PICTURES OF THESE FOR SEVERAL YEARS WITH THE INTENTION OF MAKING A REFERENCE POST BUT HERE IS AS GOOD A PLACE AS ANY TO PUT IT. THIS IS ALL I HAVE AT PRESENT BUT PERHAPS I WILL ADD MORE IN FUTURE. EVERYONE FEEL FREE TO ADD TO AND BUILD THE REFERENCE. #1., #2., #3. NICE OLD MASSIM CLUB FROM AN AUCTION, SIMILAR DESIGN TO THE ONE PICTURED IN THE BOOK PAGE POSTED ABOVE. #4., #5. MASSIM CLUB , 64 CM. LONG # 6. PICTURE OF ENTIRE MASSIM CLUB WITH FIJI STYLE DESIGNS AS SHOWN IN ABOVE POST. #7. UNUSUAL MASSIM STYLE CLUB CRUDE FORM # 8. MASSIM CLUB 70 CM. LONG #9. MASSIM CLUB ESTIMATED 1900 TO 1930, 37 INCHES LONG. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 3rd November 2015 at 04:25 AM.