Hi Billman,
A lot of those are poi pounders from Hawaii. They get used on relatively soft stuff (like pounding taro into poi), and they are used with a wooden board as the anvil. They're used for pounding other foodstuffs, and they come in a variety of grades and materials.
In the back of my mind, I have this faint memory that the Bishop Museum has a pikoi made from a poi pounder. Does that ring any bells?
Best,
F
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