MOST DESIRED OCEANIC WAR CLUBS 3: FIJI

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I AM FINALLY COMING TO THE END OF FIJI LONG CLUBS AND HAVE ADDED FIJI AXES AND THEN SOME OLD PICTURES OF VARIOUS CLUB FORMS.
PICTURES
1&2. FIJI TAVO A RARE TYPE OF GATA OR SALI WITH NO SPUR OR METO. 40 INCHES LONG SEE CLUNIE PLATE 3 FIG.B , TEXT ON PAGE 53
3. UNUSUAL FORM OF GATA
4. & 5. TWO NEWLY MADE KINIKINI /CULACULA FORM OF CLUB CIRC 1960'S OR LATER.
6 & 7. ALL WOOD FIJI AX PICTURE OF TAVATAVA DESIGN ON GRIP AND AX PIC.
8. OLD PICTURE FIJI FIGHTING AXES
9. 1840 PRINT OF FIJI ITEMS
10. 1910 BOOK, PLATE FIJI WEAPONS
11. 1917 BOOK, FIJI WEAPONS PLATE
12. FIJI CLUBS VARIOUS FORMS.

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PICTURES
1,2 & 3. TWO OLD PRE-CONTACT GADI POLE CLUBS. BOTH FROM MUSEUM DEACESSIONS THRU BIG AUCTION COMPANYS. #1. EXTRA LARGE EXAMPLE WITH IVORY INLAY IN BUTT OF CLUB, 44.5INCHES LONG, 2.25IN. IN DIAMETER. #2. SMALLER CLUB WITH GOOD PATINA 41 INCHES LONG, 1.5 INCHES IN DIAMETER.
4, 5 & 6. GOOD OLD PRE-CONTACT ROOTSTOCK CLUB 44 INCHES LONG,1.75 INCHES IN DIA.
7, 8 & 9. FAN SHAPED FORM SEE PLATE 8 IN CLUNIE AS CLOSE AS I CAN TELL IT FITS IN WITH THE KINIKINI CHIEFS CLUBS. NEWER REPLICA 1960'S OR EARLIER PEARL SHELL INLAY. 40.5 IN. LONG 8.5 WIDE BLADE.
10 & 11. ANOTHER VARIATION FAN SHAPED FORM ALSO FITS MOST CLOSELY WITH KINIKINI FORMS AS ABOVE. 39.5 IN. LONG X 9.26 IN. WIDE
12. OLD DRAWING OF FIJI MEKEMEKE DANCE.

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PICTURES
1, 2, & 3. VERY FANCY KINIKINI CHIEFS CLUB , EXCELLENT CARVING WITH PEARL SHELL INLAY FULLY CARVED BOTH SIDES. NOT SURE OF AGE, FIJI. 40 INCHES LONG, BLADE 18.25 IN. LONG AND 8 INCHES WIDE.
4 & 5 A FORM OF CLUB THOUGHT TO HAVE ORIGINATED IN TONGA BUT SAW USE IN FIJI, CALLED TEIVAKATOGA SEE CLUNIE PLATE 9, FIGURE F. 41 INCHES LONG , BLADE 9 INCHES WIDE.
6, 7, & 8. ANOTHER TONGAN FULLY CARVED FORM OF CLUB USED IN FIJI SEE CLUNIE PLATE 9 FIGURE D. 50 INCHES LONG, BLADE 7IN. WIDE.
9, 10, 11 & 12. VARIOUS FIJI CLUBS.

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SOMETIMES ARTISTIC LICENCE MAY LEAD TO THE CREATION OF A REAL ARTEFACT. IT IS NOT UNUSUAL TO HAVE A CLUB OR ARTEFACT WE CAN NOT FIND IN ANY REFERENCE, ESPECIALLY IF YOU HAVE VERY LIMITED REFRENCES AVAILABLE. A PICTURE IN A 1879 MAGAZINE ARTICLE MAY ILLUSTRATE THIS.
ARTISTIC LICENCE AS WELL AS LITERARY LICENCE ( "LICENCE" MEANING MAKEING MOST OF THE STORY UP WITH FEW FACTS AND NO PHOTOGRAPHS.) MY 3 PICTURES OF AN UNKNOWN FORM OF CLUB MATCH UP TO NOTHING IN MY REFRENCES BUT RESEMBLE ONE OF THE CLUBS IN THE DRAWING FROM THE MAGAZINE MOST CLOSELY. THIS EXAMPLE CAME OFF THE WALLS OF ONE OF THE OLD TIKI RESTURANTS NOW LONG GONE. IT IS PURE DECOR AND THE CRAFTSMAN MAY VERY WELL HAVE GOTTEN HIS IDEA FROM THIS OLD MAGAZINE PICTURE AND DID A FAIR JOB EVEN CARVING BOTH SIDES. SORRY FOR THE MAGAZINE PICTURE QUALITY, WHEN RESIZED IT LOST SOME CLARITY.
PICTURES #1 PICTURE FROM 1879 MAGAZINE, FIJI CANNIBALS MURDERING AND EATING MISSONARIES.
2,3 & 4 UNKNOWN CLUB 39 INCHES LONG LOOKS SIMULAR TO CLUB PICTURED
5 & 6 ANOTHER UNKNOWN CLUB 42 INCHES LONG MADE IN FIJI 1950'S
7. A FORM OF CLUB THOUGHT TO BE TONGAN IN ORIGIN SAID TO BE FROM FIJI.
8. A PICTURE OF 3 WARRIORS USED TO MAKE A DRAWING OF THE CENTER WARRIOR WITH HIS LARGE ROOTSTOCK CLUB WRAPPED WITH ALTERNATING RED AND BLACK SINNET CORD FOUND IN PARTINGTON'S VERY LARGE REFRENCE BOOK.
9. A VERY LARGE AND UNUSUAL FIJI ULU THROWING CLUB, APPEARS TO BE A ROOTSTOCK FORM. OR PERHAPS A CAULIFLOUR FORM
10. FIJI 1860 DRAWING OF PROCESSION PASING BY CHIEF AND VISITORS TO BE FOLLOWED BY A DANCE. THE TALL BUILDING IS THEIR TEMPLE WHERE THE CHIEF AND VISITORS ARE STANDING.
11. 1920 PICTURE OF WARRIORS PREPARING FOR THE MEKEMEKE WAR DANCE.
12. A 1950'S SOUVINEER VERSION OF A UNCOMMON LONGER CLUB DISCUSSED PREVIOUSLY IN THIS TOPIC. THIS EXAMPLE IS 16 INCHES LONG SO WOULD FIT INTO THE THROWING CLUB SIZE AND CATEGORY. IT IS NOT A COMMON FORM IN THROWING CLUBS EITHER. NOTE THE ACORN SHAPED HEAD.

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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.

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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.

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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.