MOST DESIRED OCEANIC WAR CLUBS 3: FIJI

kronckew · 20th November 2014, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by VANDOO

...
#5 & #6. RECENT FIJI KINIKINI CHIEFS CLUB WITH SENNIT CORD AND FIJI TAPA WRAP. COMPLETELY CARVED TONGAN INFLUENCE.

what is the purpose of blunting & padding (and presumably weakening) the edges by wrapping them? it appears they are wrapped thru slots parallel to the edge.

VANDOO · 20th November 2014, 10:15 PM

I AGREE THIS OPENWORK EDGE AND CORD ON THE STRIKING EDGE OF THE CLUB HEAD WOULD MAKE FOR A LESS EFFICENT WAR CLUB. I HAVE SEEN THIS OPENWORK WRAPPED WITH SENNIT CORD ON THIS EXAMPLE AND ONE OTHER, BOTH CLUBS WERE MADE 1960'S OR LATER. ORIGINALLY THIS SORT OF LARGE CLUB (KINIKINI) WAS MORE A BADGE OF OFFICE CARRIED BY CHIEFS OR PRIESTS AT SPECIAL OCCASIONS RATHER THAN A WAR CLUB. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS SORT OF CORD AND OPENWORK EDGE WAS BASED ON A REAL TRADITIONAL OLD CLUB FORM OR A RECENTY MADE UP DESIGN.
THE USE OF TAPA CLOTH ON A CLUB HANDLE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN USED TRADITIONALLY BUT I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING ANY EXAMPLES ON OLD CLUBS. MOST OLD CLUBS ARE MISSING THE WRAP ON THE HANDLES AS IT DRYS AND BECOMES BRITTLE AND BREAKS OFF AND IS LOST. I HAVE SEEN SENNIT CORD AND WOVEN FIBERS USED TO COVER OLD CLUB HANDLES BUT NO TAPA WITH DESIGNS.
THE MODERN CLUBS MADE TODAY USING MODERN TOOLS FALL LOOSLY INTO THREE CATEGORYS. #1. GOOD FULL SIZE REPLICAS OF OLD CLUBS #2. FANTASY FORMS OFTEN BORROWING FROM OTHER CULTURES. #3. SMALL VERSIONS OF BOTH OF THE ABOVE CATEGORYS ESPECIALLY FOR TOURISTS.
THERE IS SO MUCH I DON'T KNOW BUT I TRY TO PUT DOWN WHAT LITTLE I CAN AND HOPE SOME ONE WITH MORE KNOWLEGE WILL SHOW UP WITH THE ANSWERS AND CORRECT ANY MISTAKES I MAY MAKE.

Kinikini · 21st November 2014, 12:55 PM

Hi Vanado, thank's for your reply, I must point out that the Musket balls have not been hammered into the shaft.....The deep crack in the shaft is the result of the musket balls hitting it at such a high velocity that they have "Mushroomed" at the moment of impact. One of the musket balls is loose and it's possible to see the way the ball has deformed as it's penetrated the shaft. The hole it's created is not man made or natural and you can see the way that the wood has "bent" in with the force of the impact rather than flush and drilled like I guess it would have been in order to intentionally "inlay" the shaft.
It's a shame that your not here to handle and inspect the club in person as I think you would agree that this club has been in a battle where the air must have been full of the sound of gunfire, with bullets flying everywhere.
Another interesting feature of the club is that in the area that it would have been gripped it's as though it has been "sprayed" with something that's stained it darker while it was being held/gripped and this has left a lighter area where the hand was gripping it. Maybe it's me reading too much into this but I still believe that the stains are caused by blood. I will post some more pic's of my clubs soon. Good Luck and Good Hunting Kinikini

VANDOO · 22nd November 2014, 04:08 AM

I WISH I COULD BE THERE TO HANDLE THESE CLUBS TOO.

ITS NOT POSSIBLE TO TELL MUCH OR TO GET A FEEL FOR A WEAPON FROM PICTURES. BUT A PICTURE IS STILL OFTEN BETTER THAN A THOUSAND WORDS.
I ASSUMED THE LEAD WAS INLAYED BECAUSE IT WAS FLUSH WITH THE CLUB HANDLE AND THERE APPEAR TO BE LONG THIN PIECES IN THE CRACKS. SO PERHAPS THE WARRIOR SURVIVED THE BATTLE AND HAD LEAD BULLETS ON HAND TO INLAY WHERE HIS CLUB WAS STRUCK IN THE FIGHT. IF THE CLUB COULD ONLY TALK IT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING STORY. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO RUN MODERN FORENSIC TESTS ON SUCH CLUBS AS BLOOD SPLATTER COULD HELP TELL SOME STORIES. I REMEMBER IN SOME ISLANDS WHEN ONE SIDE LOST THE FIRST MAN ,IN BATTLE THAT SIDE RAN OFF, I DON'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS FIJI FOR SURE.

THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH INFORMATION AND GOOD STORIES LOST IN THE PAST ITS GOOD WE CAN PUT WHAT WE KNOW OR REMEMBER HERE SO EVERYONE WILL NOT HAVE TO START OVER AGAIN IN EACH GENERATION.

VANDOO · 24th January 2015, 03:57 AM

PICTURE #1, #2. & #3. FIJI BOWAI, POLE CLUB, ROUNDED STRIKING END,39.5 IN. LONG X 1.9 IN. DIAMETER.
#4 & #5. FIJI ULA THROWING CLUB, 43 CM. LONG, CIRC. 1850 TO 1899
#6.OLD FIJI PADDLE CLUB
#. 7. TWO SNAIL FORM CLUB ONE VERY RECENT AND ONE WELL CARVED OLDER ONE.
#8. FIJI CLUBS OLDMAN COLLECTION CATALOG

VANDOO · 2nd March 2015, 06:41 AM

I FOUND A SERIES OF DRAWINGS OF FIJI CLUBS WITH THE OLD FIJIAN NAMES SO i WILL ADD THEM HERE.
1. BOVAI POLE CLUB,TYPE WITH DOMED TOP, DRAWING OF CLUB AND TOP
THE NEXT THREE ARE FORMS OF ROOTSTOCK CLUBS IT REFRES TO CLUB
HEAD SHAPE
2. WAKA FORM
3. VUNIKAU FORM
4. BULIKIA FORM
5. BULIBULI FORM THIS SHAPE RESEMBLES THE PANDANUS AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY.
6. CULACULA FORM, CRAB
7. DUI FORM, EARED
8. GUGU FORM, BUTTERFLY FISH
9. TOTOKIA, BEAKED WAR HAMMER
10. TEIVAKATOGA FORM
11. I- TUKI FORM ,OLDER FORM OF WAR HAMMER
12. TAVO FORM

VANDOO · 2nd March 2015, 04:19 PM

A FEW MORE DRAWINGS.
#1. GATA CLUB, STRAIGHT FORM, MOST OF THIS TYPE ARE CURVED.
#2. SALI CLUB FORM
#3. KIAKAVO CLUB FORM, FOR DANCE
#4. KINIKINI CLUB FORM
THROWING CLUB FORMS
#5. SEVERAL VARIOUS FORMS OF ULA CLUBS
#6. ULA DRISIA ROUND HEAD
#7. THREE VARIATIONS OF ULA KOBO FORMS
#8. ULA GASAU TWO EXAMPLES.
#9.VARIATIONS OF ULA CLUBS BOOK PLATE
#10. MORE VARIATIONS OF ULA
#11. AND #12. PICTURES OF VARIOUS ULA ONE WITH HUMAN TOOTH

20th November 2014, 10:15 PM	#2
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I AGREE THIS OPENWORK EDGE AND CORD ON THE STRIKING EDGE OF THE CLUB HEAD WOULD MAKE FOR A LESS EFFICENT WAR CLUB. I HAVE SEEN THIS OPENWORK WRAPPED WITH SENNIT CORD ON THIS EXAMPLE AND ONE OTHER, BOTH CLUBS WERE MADE 1960'S OR LATER. ORIGINALLY THIS SORT OF LARGE CLUB (KINIKINI) WAS MORE A BADGE OF OFFICE CARRIED BY CHIEFS OR PRIESTS AT SPECIAL OCCASIONS RATHER THAN A WAR CLUB. I DON'T KNOW IF THIS SORT OF CORD AND OPENWORK EDGE WAS BASED ON A REAL TRADITIONAL OLD CLUB FORM OR A RECENTY MADE UP DESIGN. THE USE OF TAPA CLOTH ON A CLUB HANDLE MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN USED TRADITIONALLY BUT I DON'T REMEMBER SEEING ANY EXAMPLES ON OLD CLUBS. MOST OLD CLUBS ARE MISSING THE WRAP ON THE HANDLES AS IT DRYS AND BECOMES BRITTLE AND BREAKS OFF AND IS LOST. I HAVE SEEN SENNIT CORD AND WOVEN FIBERS USED TO COVER OLD CLUB HANDLES BUT NO TAPA WITH DESIGNS. THE MODERN CLUBS MADE TODAY USING MODERN TOOLS FALL LOOSLY INTO THREE CATEGORYS. #1. GOOD FULL SIZE REPLICAS OF OLD CLUBS #2. FANTASY FORMS OFTEN BORROWING FROM OTHER CULTURES. #3. SMALL VERSIONS OF BOTH OF THE ABOVE CATEGORYS ESPECIALLY FOR TOURISTS. THERE IS SO MUCH I DON'T KNOW BUT I TRY TO PUT DOWN WHAT LITTLE I CAN AND HOPE SOME ONE WITH MORE KNOWLEGE WILL SHOW UP WITH THE ANSWERS AND CORRECT ANY MISTAKES I MAY MAKE.

21st November 2014, 12:55 PM	#3
Kinikini Member Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 18	Interesting Totokia Hi Vanado, thank's for your reply, I must point out that the Musket balls have not been hammered into the shaft.....The deep crack in the shaft is the result of the musket balls hitting it at such a high velocity that they have "Mushroomed" at the moment of impact. One of the musket balls is loose and it's possible to see the way the ball has deformed as it's penetrated the shaft. The hole it's created is not man made or natural and you can see the way that the wood has "bent" in with the force of the impact rather than flush and drilled like I guess it would have been in order to intentionally "inlay" the shaft. It's a shame that your not here to handle and inspect the club in person as I think you would agree that this club has been in a battle where the air must have been full of the sound of gunfire, with bullets flying everywhere. Another interesting feature of the club is that in the area that it would have been gripped it's as though it has been "sprayed" with something that's stained it darker while it was being held/gripped and this has left a lighter area where the hand was gripping it. Maybe it's me reading too much into this but I still believe that the stains are caused by blood. I will post some more pic's of my clubs soon. Good Luck and Good Hunting Kinikini Attached Images

22nd November 2014, 04:08 AM	#4
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I WISH I COULD BE THERE TO HANDLE THESE CLUBS TOO. ITS NOT POSSIBLE TO TELL MUCH OR TO GET A FEEL FOR A WEAPON FROM PICTURES. BUT A PICTURE IS STILL OFTEN BETTER THAN A THOUSAND WORDS. I ASSUMED THE LEAD WAS INLAYED BECAUSE IT WAS FLUSH WITH THE CLUB HANDLE AND THERE APPEAR TO BE LONG THIN PIECES IN THE CRACKS. SO PERHAPS THE WARRIOR SURVIVED THE BATTLE AND HAD LEAD BULLETS ON HAND TO INLAY WHERE HIS CLUB WAS STRUCK IN THE FIGHT. IF THE CLUB COULD ONLY TALK IT WOULD BE AN INTERESTING STORY. IT WOULD BE INTERESTING TO RUN MODERN FORENSIC TESTS ON SUCH CLUBS AS BLOOD SPLATTER COULD HELP TELL SOME STORIES. I REMEMBER IN SOME ISLANDS WHEN ONE SIDE LOST THE FIRST MAN ,IN BATTLE THAT SIDE RAN OFF, I DON'T REMEMBER IF IT WAS FIJI FOR SURE. THERE HAS BEEN SO MUCH INFORMATION AND GOOD STORIES LOST IN THE PAST ITS GOOD WE CAN PUT WHAT WE KNOW OR REMEMBER HERE SO EVERYONE WILL NOT HAVE TO START OVER AGAIN IN EACH GENERATION.

24th January 2015, 03:57 AM	#5
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	PICTURE #1, #2. & #3. FIJI BOWAI, POLE CLUB, ROUNDED STRIKING END,39.5 IN. LONG X 1.9 IN. DIAMETER. #4 & #5. FIJI ULA THROWING CLUB, 43 CM. LONG, CIRC. 1850 TO 1899 #6.OLD FIJI PADDLE CLUB #. 7. TWO SNAIL FORM CLUB ONE VERY RECENT AND ONE WELL CARVED OLDER ONE. #8. FIJI CLUBS OLDMAN COLLECTION CATALOG Attached Images

2nd March 2015, 06:41 AM	#6
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	I FOUND A SERIES OF DRAWINGS OF FIJI CLUBS WITH THE OLD FIJIAN NAMES SO i WILL ADD THEM HERE. 1. BOVAI POLE CLUB,TYPE WITH DOMED TOP, DRAWING OF CLUB AND TOP THE NEXT THREE ARE FORMS OF ROOTSTOCK CLUBS IT REFRES TO CLUB HEAD SHAPE 2. WAKA FORM 3. VUNIKAU FORM 4. BULIKIA FORM 5. BULIBULI FORM THIS SHAPE RESEMBLES THE PANDANUS AS MENTIONED PREVIOUSLY. 6. CULACULA FORM, CRAB 7. DUI FORM, EARED 8. GUGU FORM, BUTTERFLY FISH 9. TOTOKIA, BEAKED WAR HAMMER 10. TEIVAKATOGA FORM 11. I- TUKI FORM ,OLDER FORM OF WAR HAMMER 12. TAVO FORM Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 2nd March 2015 at 07:33 AM.

2nd March 2015, 04:19 PM	#7
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	A FEW MORE DRAWINGS. #1. GATA CLUB, STRAIGHT FORM, MOST OF THIS TYPE ARE CURVED. #2. SALI CLUB FORM #3. KIAKAVO CLUB FORM, FOR DANCE #4. KINIKINI CLUB FORM THROWING CLUB FORMS #5. SEVERAL VARIOUS FORMS OF ULA CLUBS #6. ULA DRISIA ROUND HEAD #7. THREE VARIATIONS OF ULA KOBO FORMS #8. ULA GASAU TWO EXAMPLES. #9.VARIATIONS OF ULA CLUBS BOOK PLATE #10. MORE VARIATIONS OF ULA #11. AND #12. PICTURES OF VARIOUS ULA ONE WITH HUMAN TOOTH Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 2nd March 2015 at 05:56 PM.