MOST DESIRED OCEANIC WAR CLUBS 3: FIJI

VANDOO · 18th January 2017, 09:58 PM

#1., & #2. FIJI GUGU CLUB WITH FULL WRAP, 31.5 INCHES LONG
#3. PRESENTS WERE PRESENTED TO THE CHIEFS AT CERTAIN TIMES. THIS SHOWS SOME OF THE ITEMS PRESENTED ON SUCH OCCASIONS, OVER 7 MILES OF CORD MADE FROM COCONUT HUSKS GOOD FOR MANY THINGS ESPECIALLY RIGGING ON CANOES. MATS, KAVA KAVA BOWLS ,SWEET POTATOES ,ECT. AND PERHAPS A FEW CLUBS. A FEAST USUALLY ACCOMPANIED THE CEREMONY AND FESTIVITY'S.
#4. FIJI TOTOKIA CLUB 88 CM. LONG 1800'S TO MID 1900'S
#5. A MODERN TOURIST CLUB FIJI , FANTASY NON- TRADITIONAL
#6. THRU #10. FIJI CLUB A UNUSUAL FORM THAT I HAVE FOUND NO NAME FOR
#11. A FORM IDENTIFIED AS FROM FIJI, I AM NOT SURE OF THIS ONE AS THE FORM THOUGH UNUSUAL IS FOUND OVER A WIDE REGION.
THANKS FOR THE REPLY THEY ARE ALWAYS WELCOME, ALL OF MY CLUB POSTS ARE AN OPEN REFERENCE SO PICTURES AND INFORMATION ON ANY FIJI CLUBS WOULD BE WELCOME HERE FROM ANY FORUM MEMBERS. IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER JOIN UP ITS FREE AND THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE.

drac2k · 22nd December 2018, 03:36 PM

I recently acquired several clubs; among these is what I believe to be a Fijian KiaKavo Club. These have been referred to by some as a "Dance Club," however this one is so massive & heavy that is not conducive to dancing; it measures 38" long and it has a 7" circumference on the smallest part of the handle.
I thought it to be an oddball, but once again VANDOO'S thread came to the rescue showing warriors holding similar huge clubs.
In regards to the other two items, at least one or both could be food pounders; they are very heavy and the measure approx. 24" long. Any help would be appreciated.

Tim Simmons · 23rd December 2018, 05:02 PM

Your Fijian club looks rather late but still a very nice example. What a person writes in a book can become the definitive view for the unimaginative. In the 19th century the Fijians may well of danced with their clubs just as much as they spit head open with them. As I say your club does late. What I find far more interesting are the two other clubs far less common and at the time being I do not think they are Fijian, certainly the one with the decorated handle. I need some time to check. Really like the decorated one. I have sold all my Fijian clubs, many are far from rare even ubiquitous especially the Ulas but still command high prices here in the UK. The two interesting will be over looked.

ps. I have made up my mind the two nice clubs are not Fijian. They are from further east of the islands of Fiji

Tim Simmons · 23rd December 2018, 05:18 PM

The club without decoration I feel is certainly from the Solomons. The other has decoration I would think from further south. I had similar form clubs from the New Hebrides but these are not from those islands as far as my collecting experience goes.

drac2k · 23rd December 2018, 07:25 PM

Thank you for your input; the Fijian was listed as 20th century, so maybe WW2 or a little earlier? It is massive and made of a very heavy dense wood, so I don't think it is a "tourist piece," if no other reason than it would not be cost effective to make these and because of the size a major pain to carry home.
In regards to the other 2 pieces, is it your belief that they are not food pounders but clubs? They are also of a very heavy dense wood. The one club with the decoration on the handle reminds me of the handle of a Massim war club with the flat, wide blade, but I couldn't find any examples like mine.

18th January 2017, 09:58 PM	#1
VANDOO (deceased) Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: OKLAHOMA, USA Posts: 3,138	#1., & #2. FIJI GUGU CLUB WITH FULL WRAP, 31.5 INCHES LONG #3. PRESENTS WERE PRESENTED TO THE CHIEFS AT CERTAIN TIMES. THIS SHOWS SOME OF THE ITEMS PRESENTED ON SUCH OCCASIONS, OVER 7 MILES OF CORD MADE FROM COCONUT HUSKS GOOD FOR MANY THINGS ESPECIALLY RIGGING ON CANOES. MATS, KAVA KAVA BOWLS ,SWEET POTATOES ,ECT. AND PERHAPS A FEW CLUBS. A FEAST USUALLY ACCOMPANIED THE CEREMONY AND FESTIVITY'S. #4. FIJI TOTOKIA CLUB 88 CM. LONG 1800'S TO MID 1900'S #5. A MODERN TOURIST CLUB FIJI , FANTASY NON- TRADITIONAL #6. THRU #10. FIJI CLUB A UNUSUAL FORM THAT I HAVE FOUND NO NAME FOR #11. A FORM IDENTIFIED AS FROM FIJI, I AM NOT SURE OF THIS ONE AS THE FORM THOUGH UNUSUAL IS FOUND OVER A WIDE REGION. THANKS FOR THE REPLY THEY ARE ALWAYS WELCOME, ALL OF MY CLUB POSTS ARE AN OPEN REFERENCE SO PICTURES AND INFORMATION ON ANY FIJI CLUBS WOULD BE WELCOME HERE FROM ANY FORUM MEMBERS. IF YOU ARE NOT A MEMBER JOIN UP ITS FREE AND THE BEST THINGS IN LIFE ARE FREE. Attached Images Last edited by VANDOO; 18th January 2017 at 10:11 PM.

22nd December 2018, 03:36 PM	#2
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,187	Fijian KiaKavo Club & 2 others I recently acquired several clubs; among these is what I believe to be a Fijian KiaKavo Club. These have been referred to by some as a "Dance Club," however this one is so massive & heavy that is not conducive to dancing; it measures 38" long and it has a 7" circumference on the smallest part of the handle. I thought it to be an oddball, but once again VANDOO'S thread came to the rescue showing warriors holding similar huge clubs. In regards to the other two items, at least one or both could be food pounders; they are very heavy and the measure approx. 24" long. Any help would be appreciated. Attached Images

23rd December 2018, 05:02 PM	#3
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,742	Your Fijian club looks rather late but still a very nice example. What a person writes in a book can become the definitive view for the unimaginative. In the 19th century the Fijians may well of danced with their clubs just as much as they spit head open with them. As I say your club does late. What I find far more interesting are the two other clubs far less common and at the time being I do not think they are Fijian, certainly the one with the decorated handle. I need some time to check. Really like the decorated one. I have sold all my Fijian clubs, many are far from rare even ubiquitous especially the Ulas but still command high prices here in the UK. The two interesting will be over looked. ps. I have made up my mind the two nice clubs are not Fijian. They are from further east of the islands of Fiji

23rd December 2018, 05:18 PM	#4
Tim Simmons Member Join Date: Dec 2004 Location: What is still UK Posts: 5,742	The club without decoration I feel is certainly from the Solomons. The other has decoration I would think from further south. I had similar form clubs from the New Hebrides but these are not from those islands as far as my collecting experience goes.

23rd December 2018, 07:25 PM	#5
drac2k Member Join Date: Jun 2013 Posts: 1,187	Thank you for your input; the Fijian was listed as 20th century, so maybe WW2 or a little earlier? It is massive and made of a very heavy dense wood, so I don't think it is a "tourist piece," if no other reason than it would not be cost effective to make these and because of the size a major pain to carry home. In regards to the other 2 pieces, is it your belief that they are not food pounders but clubs? They are also of a very heavy dense wood. The one club with the decoration on the handle reminds me of the handle of a Massim war club with the flat, wide blade, but I couldn't find any examples like mine.