Micronesian spears?

[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

[VANDOO]

THERE ARE QUITE A FEW CLUBS FROM THE AREA THAT CAN BE USED TO STRIKE WITH EITHER END. SOME HAVE EVOLVED INTO THE MORE ORNATE CEREMONIAL FORMS AS TOURISTS LIKE TO BUY THEM MOST AND THEY ARE NO LONGER A GOOD WEAPON AS MUCH BETTER THINGS ARE NOW AVAILABLE. I HAVE A FEW FROM THE CAROLINE IS. BUT THEY ARE SMALLER HAND WEAPONS. I WILL INCLUDE SOME PIC'S OF SOME NEW GUINEA AND A NEW HEBRIDES CLUB THAT MAY HAVE BEEN SOMETHING LIKE YOU ARE LOOKING FOR BEFORE IT GOT TOO FANCY TO BE PRACTICAL.

[fearn]

Hi Vandoo,

Great pics! Those double-ended daggers at the bottom look sort of like pochochs, but shorter. I know you posted them before. Where are they from?

Could you post one of your Caroline clubs too, by any chance?

Best,

F

[VANDOO]

THE TWO SHORT WEAPONS ARE HELD IN THE MIDDLE WITH THE SHARP SPIKES PROTRUDING OUT THE SIDES. IT CAN BE USED TO PUNCH AS WELL AS TO STAB IN BOTH DIRECTIONS. I HAVE ALWAYS WONDERED IF THESE AND SOME OF THE SHORT DIAMOND SHAPED CLUBS MAY HAVE BEEN USED IN PAIRS WHEN FIGHTING. THEY ARE FROM MICRONESIA BUT I DON'T KNOW THE SPECIFIC ISLAND. I DO HAVE A SIMULAR HAND WEAPON USED IN THE SAME WAY FROM TRUK IN THE CAROLINES AS WELL AS A LONGER CLUB AROUND 30 INCHES LONG. I DON'T HAVE A PICTURE OF IT BUT IT WILL BE SIMULAR IN FORM TO THE LONGER CLUBS FROM TRUK.
THE CLUBS WITH THE DIAMOND SECTIONS ARE ALL FROM THE CAROLINE ISLANDS. THE OTHER ONE IS FROM FIJI

[fearn]

Hi Vandoo,

Great! I thought their clubs were simpler, and it's nice to see that I was wrong.

One thing I haven't seen is a reference for the Micronesians using weapons in pairs. My understanding is that they would be more likely to grab with the off hand and strike with the weapon.

Also, some of these weapons were intended for fighting in boats, and even with the outrigger platform, big weapons aren't very useful in that environment.

Best,

F

[VANDOO]

THE SIDE SPIKES AND SMALL BLADES ON THE SIDES OF THE TRUK CLUBS ARE NOT FOR DECORATION BUT TO PREVENT THEM FROM BEING GRABBED WITHOUT DAMMAGE TO THE HANDS. POLYNESIAN MARTIAL ART DOES HAVE A LOT OF GRABBING, TRIPPING AND FANCY FOOT WORK SO HAVING A FREE HAND MAY HAVE BEEN CONSIDERED BEST BY MOST. BUT I STILL WONDER IF A FEW INDIVIDUALS MIGHT HAVE DEVELOPED A TWO WEAPON SYSTEM USING SHALLER CLUBS. MANY ORIENTAL MARTIAL ARTS HAVE SUCH SYSTEMS AND IT IS LIKELY TO HAVE HAPPENED IN THE ISLAND TRIBES UNLESS THERE WAS A TAPU (TABOO) AGAINST
IT.

LONG WEAPONS WERE USED ON WAR CANOES AS MOST FIGHTING WAS DONE FROM CANOE TO CANOE. BOARDING THE OTHER CANOE AS IN PIRATE ATTACKS WAS NOT TOO LIKELY GIVEN THE SIZE AND STABILITY OF WAR CANOES. THE BIG VOYAGING CANOES WOULD HAVE BEEN LARGE AND STABLE ENOUGH BUT WERE NOT REALLY WAR CANOES. MOST OF WHICH WERE LONG AND NARROW AND DESIGNED FOR SPEED. SPEARS AND ARROWS WOULD HAVE BEEN BEST AND PERHAPS THE PADDLES OR LONG CLUBS WERE USED WHEN THEY WERE CLOSE ENOUGH. WHEN ENOUGH WARRIORS IN A CANOE WERE ELIMINATED PERHAPS THEY BOARDED THEN WITH SHORTER WEAPONS?. THE PROBLEM BOARDING A WAR CANOE IS THE ONES IN IT HAVE GOOD FOOTING AND IF YOU DON'T AND CAN'T GET SOLID FOOTING YOU ARE AT A GREAT DISADVANTAGE. PIC'S SOLOMON ISLAND WAR CANOES, AND ONE PICTURE OF A MAORI WAR CANOE MODEL.