MOST DESIRED OCEANIC WAR CLUBS 3: FIJI

VANDOO · 9th September 2013, 08:31 PM

THE ULA FIJI THROWING CLUB COMES IN SEVERAL FORMS AND NOT ALL WERE WAR CLUBS. THERE WERE LIGHTER CLUBS SIMULAR TO THE FORMS USED IN WAR BUT THESE WERE HUNTING CLUBS. THE HUNTING CLUBS WERE USED TO HUNT BIRDS SUCH AS PIGEONS AS WELL AS THE LARGE FRUIT BATS KNOWN AS FLYING FOX. NO DOUBT THE YOUNG BOYS PRACTICED WITH THESE WHILE HUNTING TO GET THE SKILL AND ACCURACY LATER NEEDED FOR SURVIVAL DURING BATTLE. I DON'T HAVE PICTURES OF ALL THE FORMS SHOWN IN CLUNIES BOOK ON PLATES 20 &21 PAGES 59 THRU 63 SO SEE THE BOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION. I WILL PUT PICTURES OF WHAT I HAVE AND ADD WHAT I CAN FIND AS IT IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. THESE FIRST 12 PICTURES ARE OF THE FORM ULA TAVA TAVA WAR CLUBS WHICH HAVE INTRICATELY CARVED FLUTED HEADS. THEIR NAME COMES FROM THE FLANGES OR SERRATIONS ON THE HEAD WHICH WERE THE ORIGINAL ROOTS OR FLANGES OF THE SHRUBS THEY ARE MADE FROM. PICTURES
#1. HEAD OF ONE VARIATION OF THE FORM.
# 2, 3 & 4. AN EXAMPLE OF THE FORM SHOWING VARIOUS ASPECTS, IT IS 17.25 INCHES LONG WHICH IS THE USUAL RANGE IN SIZE GIVE OR TAKE A FEW INCHES.
# 5 & 6 A UNUSUAL FORM WITH SOME ASPECTS OF THE ULA TAVA TAVA AND A FORM CALLED ULA SOBA BECAUSE THE END IS SIMULAR IN SHAPE TO THE FRUIT HEAD OF THE VUDI PLANTAIN BUNCH.ONE PICTURE SHOWS THE HEAD AND THE OTHER THE BUTT END WITH THE CONCAVE HOLLOW. THERE ARE STORIES (WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE) THAT THE CLUB IS THROWN SO THE HANDLE PENETRATES THE BODY AND CAUSES A SUCTION WHEN PULLED OUT DRAGGING OUT BLOOD AND INSIDES. NOT ALL ULA CLUB BUTTS HAVE THIS HOLLOW, SOME ARE FLAT OR HAVE A SMALLER HOLE FOR INLAY.
# 7. ANOTHER VARIATION
# 8. A UNUSUAL FORM WITH A SQUARE HEAD
# 9. & 10. TWO MORE UNUSUAL VARIATIONS OF THE FORM ONE WITH DESIGN CARVED ON THE HEAD.
# 11 & 12. TWO PICTURES OF THE SAME CLUB.

VANDOO · 10th September 2013, 01:57 AM

THE ULA TAVA TAVA FORM OF CLUBS ARE THE MOST ESTHETICALY PLEASING AND THE ONES WITH IVORY INLAY ESPECIALLY SO. THIS AND THE PRICES REALIZED IS WHY MOST MODERN REPLICAS MADE ARE IN THIS FORM. THIS IS BOTH GOOD AND BAD NEWS AS THERE ARE SOME BEAUTIFUL MODERN ONES BEING MADE AND AS THE VERY FANCY ONES WITH IVORY INLAY ARE VERY RARE IT IS POSSIBLE TO OWN A NICE REPLICA. THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE ARE QUITE A FEW GOOD OLD ULA CLUBS AVAILABLE AS WARRIORS OFTEN CARRIED MORE THAN ONE. WHERE THE MODERN REPLICAS AND SOME NON TRADITIONAL FORMS ARE BEING MADE IS IN QUESTION BUT IT IS CERTIAN NOT ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN MADE IN FIJI.
MOST ALL ULA ARE MADE FROM ONE SOLID PIECE OF WOOD BUT THE UNUSUAL ONE PICTURED IN PICTURE #4 MAY BE THE EXCEPTION WITH SEPARATE SHAFT AND HEAD.
PICTURES 1 AND 9 ARE OF MODERN ONES FOR TOURISTS AND LIKELY MADE IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS, LIKELY FROM THE SAME LOCATION AS THE RENNEL ISLAND CLUBS THAT ABOUND ON EBAY.
THE GROUP PICTURES OF ULA FEATURE VARIOUS FORMS FROM PAST AUCTIONS THE CATALOGS ARE GOOD REFRENCES WITH GOOD PICTURES.

VANDOO · 10th September 2013, 02:29 AM

A FEW MORE #1 ULA TAVA TAVA WITH THE MORE NATURAL ROOTSTOCK FORMS CALLED # 2 ULA KOBO WHICH ARE LESS REGULAR IN SHAPE WITH LESS CARVING. ONE PICTURE IS OF A SPLIT ROUND BALL HEADED FORM CALLED #3 ULA DRISIA THIS SHOWS THE SOLID ONE PIECE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE CLUBS WELL. WE HAVE EXAMPLES OF THE THREE MAIN FORMS HERE.
ONE SHOWS A CLUB BUTT WITH A RING SORT OF IDENTATION. ONE SHOWS A RARE CLUB WITH A HUMAN FACE CARVED IN IT. ONE PICTURE OF A BALL HEAD FORM WITH A HUMAN TOOTH INLAYED INTO THE CLUB HEAD.
A PICTURE OF WARRIOR POSED WITH GATA CLUB AND 3 THROWING CLUBS. NOTE ONE IS QUITE A BIT SMALLER SO MAY BE A HUNTING CLUB AND THE OTHER TWO DIFFERENT FORMS OF WAR ULU CLUBS. HE HAS A FAN USED FOR BLOCKING LIGHT ARROWS OR TO FAN AS NEEDED.

VANDOO · 10th September 2013, 05:33 AM

#2. CLOSEUP DETAIL OF A BALL HEADED ULA DRISIA (IT IS CALLED BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT NAMES IN DIF. DIALECTS BUT I USE THIS ONE)
#1. CLOSEUP OF NATURAL ROOT BALL HEAD OF ULA KOBO THIS FORM MORE ROUNDED THAN IS USUAL.
#3. FIJI WARRIOR WITH ULU AND SPEAR
#4 & 5. WHAT APPEARS TO BE A VERY WORN SMALL HUNTING CLUB.
#6.& 7. ULU BULIBULI FORM LIKE THE WAR CLUB OF THE SAME NAME. THERE IS A PICTURE OF A RARE ULU WITH A CROOKED HANDLE IN ONE PICTURE.
#8. ULA GASAU A FORM THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN RESTRICTED TO THE VITI LEVU HIGHLANDS IT IS SHAPED LIKE THE HEAD OF A ULUTOA ,HEAD OF A TIQA THROWING DART. THIS IS A 1950'S SOUVINEER AND IS THE CLOSEST I CAN COME TO THE FORM.

9th September 2013, 08:31 PM	#1
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THE ULA FIJI THROWING CLUB COMES IN SEVERAL FORMS AND NOT ALL WERE WAR CLUBS. THERE WERE LIGHTER CLUBS SIMULAR TO THE FORMS USED IN WAR BUT THESE WERE HUNTING CLUBS. THE HUNTING CLUBS WERE USED TO HUNT BIRDS SUCH AS PIGEONS AS WELL AS THE LARGE FRUIT BATS KNOWN AS FLYING FOX. NO DOUBT THE YOUNG BOYS PRACTICED WITH THESE WHILE HUNTING TO GET THE SKILL AND ACCURACY LATER NEEDED FOR SURVIVAL DURING BATTLE. I DON'T HAVE PICTURES OF ALL THE FORMS SHOWN IN CLUNIES BOOK ON PLATES 20 &21 PAGES 59 THRU 63 SO SEE THE BOOK FOR MORE INFORMATION. I WILL PUT PICTURES OF WHAT I HAVE AND ADD WHAT I CAN FIND AS IT IT BECOMES AVAILABLE. THESE FIRST 12 PICTURES ARE OF THE FORM ULA TAVA TAVA WAR CLUBS WHICH HAVE INTRICATELY CARVED FLUTED HEADS. THEIR NAME COMES FROM THE FLANGES OR SERRATIONS ON THE HEAD WHICH WERE THE ORIGINAL ROOTS OR FLANGES OF THE SHRUBS THEY ARE MADE FROM. PICTURES #1. HEAD OF ONE VARIATION OF THE FORM. # 2, 3 & 4. AN EXAMPLE OF THE FORM SHOWING VARIOUS ASPECTS, IT IS 17.25 INCHES LONG WHICH IS THE USUAL RANGE IN SIZE GIVE OR TAKE A FEW INCHES. # 5 & 6 A UNUSUAL FORM WITH SOME ASPECTS OF THE ULA TAVA TAVA AND A FORM CALLED ULA SOBA BECAUSE THE END IS SIMULAR IN SHAPE TO THE FRUIT HEAD OF THE VUDI PLANTAIN BUNCH.ONE PICTURE SHOWS THE HEAD AND THE OTHER THE BUTT END WITH THE CONCAVE HOLLOW. THERE ARE STORIES (WHICH I DON'T BELIEVE) THAT THE CLUB IS THROWN SO THE HANDLE PENETRATES THE BODY AND CAUSES A SUCTION WHEN PULLED OUT DRAGGING OUT BLOOD AND INSIDES. NOT ALL ULA CLUB BUTTS HAVE THIS HOLLOW, SOME ARE FLAT OR HAVE A SMALLER HOLE FOR INLAY. # 7. ANOTHER VARIATION # 8. A UNUSUAL FORM WITH A SQUARE HEAD # 9. & 10. TWO MORE UNUSUAL VARIATIONS OF THE FORM ONE WITH DESIGN CARVED ON THE HEAD. # 11 & 12. TWO PICTURES OF THE SAME CLUB. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 10th September 2013 at 01:16 AM.

10th September 2013, 01:57 AM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	THE ULA TAVA TAVA FORM OF CLUBS ARE THE MOST ESTHETICALY PLEASING AND THE ONES WITH IVORY INLAY ESPECIALLY SO. THIS AND THE PRICES REALIZED IS WHY MOST MODERN REPLICAS MADE ARE IN THIS FORM. THIS IS BOTH GOOD AND BAD NEWS AS THERE ARE SOME BEAUTIFUL MODERN ONES BEING MADE AND AS THE VERY FANCY ONES WITH IVORY INLAY ARE VERY RARE IT IS POSSIBLE TO OWN A NICE REPLICA. THE GOOD NEWS IS THERE ARE QUITE A FEW GOOD OLD ULA CLUBS AVAILABLE AS WARRIORS OFTEN CARRIED MORE THAN ONE. WHERE THE MODERN REPLICAS AND SOME NON TRADITIONAL FORMS ARE BEING MADE IS IN QUESTION BUT IT IS CERTIAN NOT ALL OF THEM HAVE BEEN MADE IN FIJI. MOST ALL ULA ARE MADE FROM ONE SOLID PIECE OF WOOD BUT THE UNUSUAL ONE PICTURED IN PICTURE #4 MAY BE THE EXCEPTION WITH SEPARATE SHAFT AND HEAD. PICTURES 1 AND 9 ARE OF MODERN ONES FOR TOURISTS AND LIKELY MADE IN THE SOLOMON ISLANDS, LIKELY FROM THE SAME LOCATION AS THE RENNEL ISLAND CLUBS THAT ABOUND ON EBAY. THE GROUP PICTURES OF ULA FEATURE VARIOUS FORMS FROM PAST AUCTIONS THE CATALOGS ARE GOOD REFRENCES WITH GOOD PICTURES. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 10th September 2013 at 02:08 AM.

10th September 2013, 02:29 AM	#3
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	A FEW MORE #1 ULA TAVA TAVA WITH THE MORE NATURAL ROOTSTOCK FORMS CALLED # 2 ULA KOBO WHICH ARE LESS REGULAR IN SHAPE WITH LESS CARVING. ONE PICTURE IS OF A SPLIT ROUND BALL HEADED FORM CALLED #3 ULA DRISIA THIS SHOWS THE SOLID ONE PIECE CONSTRUCTION OF THESE CLUBS WELL. WE HAVE EXAMPLES OF THE THREE MAIN FORMS HERE. ONE SHOWS A CLUB BUTT WITH A RING SORT OF IDENTATION. ONE SHOWS A RARE CLUB WITH A HUMAN FACE CARVED IN IT. ONE PICTURE OF A BALL HEAD FORM WITH A HUMAN TOOTH INLAYED INTO THE CLUB HEAD. A PICTURE OF WARRIOR POSED WITH GATA CLUB AND 3 THROWING CLUBS. NOTE ONE IS QUITE A BIT SMALLER SO MAY BE A HUNTING CLUB AND THE OTHER TWO DIFFERENT FORMS OF WAR ULU CLUBS. HE HAS A FAN USED FOR BLOCKING LIGHT ARROWS OR TO FAN AS NEEDED. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 10th September 2013 at 05:08 AM.

10th September 2013, 05:33 AM	#4
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	#2. CLOSEUP DETAIL OF A BALL HEADED ULA DRISIA (IT IS CALLED BY SEVERAL DIFFERENT NAMES IN DIF. DIALECTS BUT I USE THIS ONE) #1. CLOSEUP OF NATURAL ROOT BALL HEAD OF ULA KOBO THIS FORM MORE ROUNDED THAN IS USUAL. #3. FIJI WARRIOR WITH ULU AND SPEAR #4 & 5. WHAT APPEARS TO BE A VERY WORN SMALL HUNTING CLUB. #6.& 7. ULU BULIBULI FORM LIKE THE WAR CLUB OF THE SAME NAME. THERE IS A PICTURE OF A RARE ULU WITH A CROOKED HANDLE IN ONE PICTURE. #8. ULA GASAU A FORM THOUGHT TO HAVE BEEN RESTRICTED TO THE VITI LEVU HIGHLANDS IT IS SHAPED LIKE THE HEAD OF A ULUTOA ,HEAD OF A TIQA THROWING DART. THIS IS A 1950'S SOUVINEER AND IS THE CLOSEST I CAN COME TO THE FORM. Attached Images