MAORI SHORT CLUBS (KOTATE FORM)
 

THERE ARE SEVERAL SHORT CLUBS USED BY THE MAORI WARRIORS. ONE FORM IS THE KOTATE SOMETIMES CALLED THE LIVER CUTTER. THESE CLUBS WERE USED FOR FIGHTING CLOSE IN AND HAD SHARP EDGES TO CONCENTRATE THE FORCE AND BREAK BONES AND DO SERIOUS DAMMAGE TO ORGANS OR TISSUE. IT COULD STRIKE WITH BOTH EDGES AS WELL AS BE USED TO THRUST WITH THE LEADING EDGE. THEY HAVE A NOTCH ON EACH SIDE FOR CATCHING THE EDGES OF OTHER SHORT CLUBS. THEY ARE MOSTLY MADE FROM WOOD, WHALEBONE AND SOMETIMES STONE OR JADE.

Great examples! Thank you so much for posting them. What are the ages?

THEY RANGE FROM 1800'S TO THE PRESENT. THE WOODEN EXAMPLE WITH THE MEASUREMENTS 12" BELOW IS A NEW ONE FOR TOURISTS. THESE NEWER ONES ARE USUALLY MADE OF A LIGHTER SOFTER WOOD THAT IS EASIER TO CARVE BUT NOT AS GOOD FOR A WEAPON. THE OLDER ONES THAT WERE ACTUAL WEAPONS ARE USUALLY RATHER PLAIN, THE ONES WITH FACES CARVED ON THE STRIKING END ARE MORE CEREMONIAL AND PROBABLY RANGE FROM 1920'S TO PERHAPS THE 1960'S.
THERE ARE STILL SOME WELL CARVED EXAMPLES MADE BY EXPERT CARVERS BUT MOST ARE JUST FOR TOURISTS AND NOT VERY WELL DONE. THERE ARE QUITE A FEW EXCELLENT MAORI CARVERS BUT THESE DAYS MOST OF THEIR GOOD WORK IS DONE AS BONE AND JADE JEWLRY.
THE CLUB SIZE IS USUALLY AROUND 10 TO 14.5 INCHES BUT A FEW OF THE SHORT CLUBS ARE 18 TO 21. THERE IS ONE PICTURE OF A SHORT CLUB THAT IS NOT A KOTATE, I WILL TRY AND COVER THE OTHER SHORT CLUBS LATER IN OTHER POSTS. THE OLDER KOTATAE SOMETIMES HAS A TIKI FACE CARVED ON THE END OF THE HANDLE AND THE TWO NOTCHES BUT USUALLY NO OTHER DESIGNS. MOST OF THESE CLUBS HAVE A CORD LANYARD SO THEY ARE USUALLY PIERCED. THE OLDER ONES WILL SHOW CRUDE TOOL MARKS FOR MAKEING THE HOLE AS WELL AS WEAR, THE NEW ONES A HOLE FROM A DRILL BIT.

Fun! It's nice to see a display of these.

Thanks Vandoo.

F

Maori chier Perotiti with kotatae club taken 1901

Wonderful photos! Thanks Vandoo for sharing them :)

THE LAST PICTURE IN MY FIRST POST HAS 3 CLUBS THE ONE TO THE FAR LEFT IS A RARE CLUB CALLED A PATUKI. USUALLY MADE OF WOOD BUT WHALEBONE EXAMPLES ARE KNOWN. A GOOD REFRENCE BOOK ON MAORI WEAPONS IS (MAORI WEAPONS IN PRE-EUROPEAN NEW ZEALAND, BY JEFF EVANS) ITS A PAPERBACK MOST PICTURES ARE GOOD BLACK AND WHITE AND ITS NOT TOO EXPENSIVE BUT VERY COMPREHENSIVE.

A FEW MORE KOTATE FORM MAORI SHORT CLUBS. SOME OTHER FORMS OF CLUBS PRESENT AS WELL AS KOTATE FORM. THE LAST PICTURE IS OF A UNUSUAL CLUB NOT TYPICAL OF ANY ONE FORM BUT PERHAPS CLOSER TO THE KOTATE FORM THAN THE OTHER FORMS.

#1. MAORI SHORT CLUBS VARIOUS 1777 , THIS PICTURE HAS DRAWINGS OF 3 CLUBS WITH TWO DRAWINGS SHOWING THE THIN EDGES OF TWO CLUBS AS WELL AS DRAWINGS OF THE POMMELS OF ALL THREE CLUBS.
#2. MAORI SHORT CLUBS VARIOUS TYPES
THAT'S ALL I HAVE FOR NOW IF ANYONE ELSE HAS CLUBS, COMMENTS OR CORRECTIONS FEEL FREE TO ADD TO THE POST. :)