EASTER ISLAND CLUBS

[VANDOO]

THERE ARE SIMULARITYS TO OTHER ISLAND CULTURES IN THE CLUBS FROM THE EASTER ISLANDS. THEY DO HAVE THEIR OWN SIGNATURE ART AND HAVE SHORT FORMS AS WELL AS LONG FORMS. ONE FLAT BLADED MAORI SHORT CLUB FORM IS CALLED PATU. ON EASTER ISLAND THIS FORM IS CALLED PAOA.
A SHORT ROUND FORM OF CLUB IS CALLED TOKO TOKO ON EASTER IS.
ONE LONGER CLUB RESEMBLES THE MAORI TAHIATA BUT HAS THE TYPICAL EASTER ISLAND HUMAN HEAD INSTEAD OF THE MAORI TIKI FORM.
OTHER UNIQUE LONG CLUBS ARE DOUBLE ENDED PADDLE FORMS.

THE EASTER ISLANDERS HAD A WRITTEN LANGUAGE SORT OF A GLYPH FORM WHICH REMINDS ONE OF SOME OF THE MAYAN, INCA FORMS USED ON THE MAINLAND BUT UNIQUE TO THE ISLAND. THE HEAD WITH BEARD AND THE BIRDMAN CARVINGS SEEM UNIQUE TO EASTER ISLAND BUT BIRD FORMS ARE IMPORTANT IN MANY OCEANIC SOCIETYS. THEY STAND APART FROM ALL OTHER POLYNESIAN SOCIETYS AS THE MADE THE LARGEST TIKIS (THE MOA STATUES). SEE THE MOVIE RAPA NUI FOR A INTERESTING STORY.

[VANDOO]

A COUPLE OF EASTER ISLAND TABLETS WITH WRITINGS AND DESIGNS FOR THOSE WHO MAY BE INTERESTED.

[Tim Simmons]

Modern genetics suggests the origins of Easter Islanders are Polynesian. I cannot read the script but the glyphs look Mayan to me.

[Gustav]

Actually nobody can read this script: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rongorongo

Possibly I am wrong, yet this last tablet (#2) looks like a tourist item to me.

[Tim Simmons]

I meant the glyphs on the bluey white pendant stone above this one.

[Gustav]

Sorry for the misunderstanding, Tim. They are Mayan.

[Battara]

Gustav is right those are Mayan glyphs.

However the Rongorongo board is depicting 2 figures involved in the Birdman cult of late Easter Island before contact and before the civilization fell apart.

[Gustav]

There are just 26 authentic rongorongo inscriptions on different wooden objects and it isn't sure even if they all are genuine.

But there is also a real rongorongo-industrie which started at latest in the sixties.

[tom hyle]

weren't the lower class Easter Islanders natives and the rulers Polynesian? Am I remembering that correctly?

[fearn]

Agreed, and there are no authenticated Rongo-Rongo carvings that date to before Contact, and there are proposed translations (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Decipherment_of_rongorongo).

I'd also make a correction to Vandoo's original statement: the Andean cultures did not have a written language. While they had extensive artwork and certainly a pattern language (as do we), the closest they had to a written language were the knotted quipus.

All available evidence (archeological, linguistic, and genetic) strongly points to Rapa Nui being settled by Polynesians coming out of South East Asia. There certainly was contact between Polynesians and South Americans: Polynesians got the sweet potato, South Americans probably got a chicken, and there may have even been a Polynesian settlement in Chile. However, the Polynesians were the ones to make contact, not anyone from mainland South America.

Getting back to the initial post: yes, they are neat clubs, and I think that they are being carved for tourists even now. Thanks for showing them here!

F

[VANDOO]

WHEN ITEMS SUCH AS CLUBS ARE NO LONGER IN USE THEY ARE OFTEN SET ASIDE OR DISCARDED AND DESTROYED BY ROT OR BUGS. WHEN THE CULTURE OF THE EASTER ISLANDS COLAPSED AND AGAIN LATER WHEN THE RACE WAS DESTROYED BY SPAIN THERE WAS NO DEMAND FOR THEIR ARTEFACTS SO MOST WERE DESTROYED BY NATURE OR INTENTIONALY.
SO FEW AUTHENTIC ITEMS REMAIN BUT A DEMAND AROSE SO REPLICAS WERE MADE TO FILL THE DEMAND AND ARE STILL MADE TODAY. THIS APPLYS TO MANY CULTURES AND PLACES WHERE ARTEFACTS ARE RARE. THE BAD NEWS IS THESE ARE OFTEN SOLD AS OLD ANTIQUES AND THE PRICES ARE HIGH. THE GOOD NEWS IS SOME OF THE CARVERS ARE VERY SKILLED AND MAKE A GOOD REPLICA THAT MAY EXCEED THE OLD ORIGINALS, YET STILL STAY TRUE TO ORIGINAL FORMS. IF THE PRICE IS RIGHT I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH SUCH REPLICAS AS IT WOULD TAKE REMARKABLE LUCK AND LOTS OF CASH TO AQUIRE AN ORIGINAL.
IF ANYONE HAS ANY PICTURES OF DIFFERENT FORMS OF WEAPONS FROM EASTER ISLAND, PLEASE POST THEM.
HERE IS A CARVING WITH A SHARP TAIL REFERRED TO AS A LIZZARD MAN DON'T THINK IT IS A WEAPON BUT IS POINTY. ALSO A PICTURE OF A NEWLY MADE RONGO BOARD

[tom hyle]

Interesting lizard man. I'm not entirely sure that is a tail

[kahnjar1]

I am a little surprised that mention of Thor Heyerdahl's book AKU AKU has not appeared here. Whilst it does not deal with the weapons of Rapa Nui, it does discuss at length, the possible/probable origins of the people of Easter Island, and particularly the MOAI (statues), and how they were sculpted.

[fearn]

All available evidence (archeological, linguistic, and genetic) strongly points to Rapa Nui being settled by Polynesians coming out of South East Asia. There certainly was contact between Polynesians and South Americans: Polynesians got the sweet potato, South Americans probably got a chicken, and there may have even been a Polynesian settlement in Chile. However, the Polynesians were the ones to make contact, not anyone from mainland South America.

Hi Kahnjar,

That was actually a swipe at Thor Heyerdahl. I've actually read Kon Tiki and things written by the archeologists that accompanied Heyerdahl to Easter Island, as well as books (such as Kirch's Road of the Winds) and even some South American archeology (Incas and their Ancestors).

Here are some of the problems:
1. Rapa Nui language, genes and artwork, wall-building, and rock carving all come unequivocally from Polynesia.
2. The reeds that Heyerdahl says came from South America had been there for >10,000 years, according to pollen evidence from the lake they grow in on Easter Island. They're also a different species than the totora reeds at Lake Titicaca.
3. Heyerdahl confuses the evidence from South America. He talks about connections with the Inca (a civilization that showed up AFTER Easter Island was settled) and previous Andean cultures (Tiwanaku AD 500-950). This is akin to mixing the Romans and Crusaders, and saying they collectively colonized the Canary Islands in the 8th Century AD.
4. To "prove" the Kon-Tiki raft from South America could make it to Polynesia, he had to have it towed 50 miles out of the Humboldt Current. It's not clear the raft could have actually cleared that current by itself (and they used the rafts to trade along the current).

Nonetheless, the archeologists are charitable. While they've never given Heyerdahl's ideas any credence, they laud his fund-raising and organizing efforts, because he made it possible for archeologists to work on Easter Island, which perhaps helped the Rapanuians to reclaim their own culture (as with the clubs that started this thread).

For Vandoo, I'd also point out that Easter Island wasn't the only place where Oceanic peoples came up with their own script. The Caroline Islanders created Woleai in the 19th Century.

Best,

F

[katana]

Hi Fearn,
you are correct.... climatic, archaeological and oceanic studies all support the distribution of oceanic peoples spreading Westerly from Australasia. The prevailing winds and currents are predominately westerly at this latitude and these forces are intensified when El Nino occurs every 2 - 7 years. Bearing in mind the small canoes used and some of the great distances travelled, often blindly, as many islands could not be seen on the horizon, as they island hopped ....they were incredibly brave or desperate to find new lands. The speed of travel was incredibly enhanced when El Nino struck and there is evidence to support an increase activity in the Westerly movement at such times.

All the best
David

[fearn]

Hi David,

I'm not even sure about the poor quality of some of those boats. As a demonstration, a group of Pacific Islanders built seven vakas and set out from Auckland, New Zealand this April. They sailed to Hawaii, predominantly using traditional navigation techniques. Then they sailed to San Francisco, and currently (8/20/11) they're sailing south off Venice Beach. They'll end in the Solomon Islands next July. That's crossing the Pacific twice in 18 months. Not too shabby.

Here's The Vaka Moana website, which chronicles their voyage.

While traveling through the modern Pacific is a great deal easier than it was 1000 years ago, I think we under-rate both Polynesian boats and sailing skills. Even finding unknown islands isn't a blind shot: when you see land birds take off into the open ocean, you know they're heading for other land somewhere. That's how the existence of New Zealand (and Hawaii) was inferred.

Best,

F

[Battara]

Nice posting Fearn and on the money as far as Easter Island research is concerned.

[katana]

Originally Posted by fearn

Hi David,


While traveling through the modern Pacific is a great deal easier than it was 1000 years ago, I think we under-rate both Polynesian boats and sailing skills. Even finding unknown islands isn't a blind shot: when you see land birds take off into the open ocean, you know they're heading for other land somewhere. That's how the existence of New Zealand (and Hawaii) was inferred.

Best,

F

Hi Fearn,
I suppose I should have said 'relatively' small canoes ....travelling long distances the canoe occupants would need plenty of water and food. Also, tools and weapons to support them once they made land. These provisions would soon fill a canoe. Obviously navagation skills are extremely useful when you have a destination. The earlier 'trailblazers' did not have this luxury or the definate knowledge that they would find land.
I agree that in general following 'land' birds might lead you to land ....but it is far from fail safe. Some birds have been known to stay on the wing for considerable distances. The non-stop migratory flight of the goodwit is over 6000 miles....much over water. Admittedly they are waders ...but are from the oceanic area.
Rapa Nui is indeed interesting from a number of view-points ....including the ecological disaster they created for themselves ....but we are digressing from the original post, sorry.

Regards David

"...The routes of satellite tagged Bar-tailed Godwits migrating north from New Zealand. This species has the longest known non-stop migration of any species, up to 10,200 km (6,300 mi)........."

[tom hyle]

AFAIK the big cargo/transport ships were catamarans rather than canoes; considerably more carrying capacity.

[fearn]

Hi Tom,

There were some big outriggers out there as well. An example is the Fijian ndrua or Marshallese Walap.

Still, your point is well taken. The longest voyages were almost certainly in double-hulled Polynesian Vakas, of about that size, and they do carry a quite a lot.

The biggest issue Polynesian "canoes" face is that we call them canoes, not ships, even though they were multi-hulled, multi-planked, deep-ocean boats that (in the cases above) couldn't be paddled easily or at all.

Best,

F

[VANDOO]

WHILE WE KNOW POLYNESIANS MADE MANY LONG OCEAN VOYAGES WE HAVE LITTLE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW THEY NAVIGATED OR PICKED A DIRECTION TO GO. MANY A THEORY ABOUNDS AND MANY OR ALL SURELY PLAYED A PART IN THEIR SUCESS BUT WE MAY NOT HAVE THE FULL PICTURE.
MANY VOYAGES MAY HAVE ENDED IN DESTRUCTION AS TIMING AND LUCK PLAY A PART IN LONG SEA VOYAGES. BUT THE SAILING AND NAVAGATION KNOWLEGE OF THE POLYNESIANS MAY HAVE BEEN MUCH BETTER THAN WE KNOW AND DISASTERS KEPT TO A MINIMUM.
THEY LIVED CLOSE TO NATURE AND STUDIED THE WILDLIFE, WAVES, WINDS,SEASONS,CLOUDS, CURRENTS AS WELL AS WHAT WASHED UP ON THEIR ISLANDS AND WHERE THE CURRENTS THAT BROUGHT STUFF CAME FROM. THEY KNEW THE ESTABLISHED ROUTES FROM ISLAND TO ISLAND AND WHEN AND HOW BEST TO VOYAGE TO THEM. NATURE OFFERS MANY CLUES TO THOSE WHO STUDY AND LEARN TO UNDERSTAND THEM ALL SOCIETYS WHO SAILED KNEW THE SEASONS OF STORMS AND THOSE OF GOOD WINDS AND CURRENTS.
THERE IS ALSO THE SHAMAN OR PRIESTS WHO OFTEN HAD VISIONS. THERE ARE MANY TALES IN MANY CULTURES OF THE ABILITY TO SEE FAR AWAY OR EVEN INTO THE FUTURE. THESE PEOPLE WERE ALWAYS CONSULTED BEFORE ANY LARGE AND IMPORTANT EVENT SO THEIR IMPUT WAS PART OF THE SUCESS OR FAILURE OF THE VOYAGE. I DON'T HAVE THESE ABILITYS AND HAVE NOT BEEN SCHOOLED BY THOSE WHO SAY THEY DO AND HAVEN'T TAKEN ANY OF THE DRUGS OFTEN USED IN SUCH TRANCES SO DON'T COUNT THEM FOR MUCH. BUT I HAVE SEEN ENOUGH STRANGE THINGS NOT TO DISCOUNT THEM ENTIRELY AND MOST OF THAT KNOWLEGE HAS BEEN LOST AS MAN MOVES FARTHER FROM NATURE.

[VANDOO]

HERE ARE A FEW EXAMPLES OF THIS RAPA NUI CLUB FORM. UNFORTUNATELY I HAVE VERY LITTLE INFORMATION ON THEM OTHER THAN THAT THEY ARE FROM EASTER ISLAND. I BOUGHT ONE IN 1974 AND IT WAS 17 INCHES LONG, OLD AND THE WOOD WAS COATED IN SOME BLACK STAIN WHICH WAS SHOWING WEAR. I HAVE SEEN OTHER EXAMPLES DESCRIBED AS MID 20TH CENTURY AND CIRCA 1960. MOST LIKELY MADE FOR TOURISTS BUT IT IS POSSIBLE THEY ARE REPLICAS OF REAL ARTIFACTS AS ARE MANY OF THE OTHER WOOD CARVINGS FROM EASTER ISLAND. I WOULD GUESS THEY WERE FOR CEREMONY'S OR TO REPRESENT STATUS AS THEY WOULD NOT MAKE A GOOD WEAPON. I THINK THEY ARE WORTHY OF A EASTER ISLAND COLLECTION AS THERE IS NOT A WIDE RANGE OF ITEMS AVAILABLE FROM THERE. PERHAPS THERE IS A COLLECTOR WITH GOOD REFERENCES OR INFORMATION ON EASTER ISLAND WHO CAN FILL US IN.
#1. MY CLUB 17 IN LONG
#2.& #3. SAID TO BE MID 20TH. CENTURY, 34 X 8 CM.
#4. SAID TO BE FROM THE 1940'S
#5. SAID TO BE CIRCA 1960
#6 & #7 A EXAMPLE FROM ANOTHER MEMBERS POST ,THESE PICTURES APPEAR AT THE TOP. SORRY FOR THE CONFUSION AS I ATTEMPTED TO TRANSFER THE INFO FROM ANOTHER POST AND THE PICTURES DID NOT COME WITH IT. I AM ADDING THIS HERE TO ADD TO THE REFERENCE.
Attached Images #8. 13 IN. SHORT CLUB

[VANDOO]

HERE IS MY EXAMPLE OF ONE OF THE LONG PADDLE KNOWN AS "AO" OR THE SMALLER DANCE PADDLES KNOWN AS "RAPA". UNLIKE ALL OTHER PADDLES IN OCEANIA ,THE STANDARDIZED PADDLE USED IN EASTER ISLAND HAD A BLADE ON EACH END. MANY PADDLES THE WORLD OVER ARE DESIGNED PRIMARILY FOR PADDLING BUT MAY ALSO SERVE AS A CLUB OR SPEAR IF NEEDED.
I AM NOT SURE WHERE MY EXAMPLE FALLS IT IS 47 INCHES LONG AND MOST LIKELY A RAPA OR DANCE PADDLE. BOTH TYPES WERE TWIRLED AND SHAKEN IN THE HANDS DURING CEREMONIAL DANCES. THE EARLIEST COLLECTED "RAPA WAS COLLECTED BY CAPTAIN COOK IN 1775 AND THE EARLIEST KNOWN "AO" LONG PADDLE COLLECTED IN 1884. COOK'S RAPA HAS A FACE CARVED ON EACH SIDE OF ONE END WITH EYES MADE OF SHARK VERTEBRAE WITH BLACK OBSIDIAN STONE CENTERS MUCH LIKE MY EXAMPLE. SOME EXAMPLES WERE CARVED AND SOME PAINTED THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE RAPA AND AO IS MOSTLY IN SIZE AND DECORATION. A PADDLE SHAPED STAFF OF HONOR WAS A SYMBOL OF AUTHORITY. SPECIMENS FROM EASTER ISLAND SHOW THAT THE UPPER BLADE WAS INVARIABLY DECORATED AS A CONVENTIONALIZED HUMAN HEAD WITH TWO CHARACTERISTICS. VERTICAL BANDS ON TOP REPRESENTING THE FEATHER CROWN, AND ELONGATED EARS WITH PENDANT DISKS ON EACH SIDE REPRESENTING EAR PLUGS.
I ALSO INCLUDE SOME PICTURES OF SOME RECENT RONGO BOARDS. #1, THRU #3. MY RAPA
#4. & #5 BOTH SIDES OF EXAMPLE A
#6 & #7. BOTH SIDES OF EXAMPLE B
#8. ANOTHER RECENT TOURIST ITEM.
#9. A NICE BOARD AND MASK
#10. A NICE MODERN RAPA DANCE PADDLE