Micronesian spears?

[fearn]

Hi All,

I haven't seen a lot of weapons confidently sourced to Micronesia, except for the shark-tooth weapons of Kiribati. Then I tripped over a 1982 Black Belt Magazine article on the martial arts of the Caroline Islands aka pwang or bwang. (link to article).

Interesting thing is that they use a distinctive, short (3-4'), heavy, double-headed wooden spear called a Pochoch as a central weapon. The spears are used hand-to-hand, either on land or in canoes.

I've never seen these before (although I've seen double-ended spears before). Does anyone have a physical example of a pochoch, or know of one in a collection?

Best,

F

[Tim Simmons]

Ringing my bell. Cool I wish we knew more about Micro + Melanesian weapons and fighting.

Once real war was decided. I would think many islanders would confront each other, like any other warriors, with an array of weapons with different ways of use?

[fearn]

Absolutely, Tim.

They even talk about the different weapons in the article (which is based largely on anthropologists' field notes). I was just interested because they show multiple pictures of the pochoch being used, and offhand, I don't recall seeing one in real life.

Best,

F

[Tim Simmons]

Something to look out for "pochoch" This form "school" of fighting has probably died out. I have googled Microneasian stick fighting and dancing. The results have been cheasy to say the least.
The short double pointed fighting stick is seen in Aus and Africa often with a punching shield. Even a heavy short blunt ended stick used in the right way with the right controlled aggression is a formidable weapon espcially if your opponent is taken off guard by such close quater combat. In the recent years I have become more and more interested in war with wood weapons. In the context of some small island communities, I find it terrifying and heroic at the same time. Yet little interest seems to be found here. I think war is the same in all its ways for a microcosm as macrocosm. Not nice basiclly.

[Tim Simmons]

I hope it is not out of order to add this picture from "Malinowski, the ethnography of the Trobriand islands 1915-18". From what I has gleaned, Malinowski, in the recent decades seems to be thought of as rather a prig, but to be honest what would you expect from a chap with his background and it was 1915!!!

Back to the picture and its relation to the macrocosm this food distibution is really heavy stuff. Look at the armed fellows, carrying European axe heads on local hafts. Just like UN food distribution, note the civilian population in the background.

[fearn]

Hi Tim,

According to The Last Navigator, there were still people who knew pwang (or bwang), the Carolines martial art, back in the late 1970s, and the article is from 1982. Pwang was supposed to be one of their basic arts, along with fishing, farming, and building a house, so I wouldn't be surprised if a few families hasn't kept the art alive. There's not a lot of difference between a paddle club and a machete, after all.

Anyway, if you search for bwang, you'll find some references. Pwang also works.

As for the Trobriands, last I'd heard, they upgraded to machetes, fishing spears, and crowbars, instead of traditional clubs and spears. One of my grumps about Malinowski is that he talks a little about their weapons, but never studied them and didn't put any references in his index. Hmmph!

Best,

F