Post #26883 by Basement Kahuna on Sun, Mar 16, 2003 4:10 PM

A weapon should be worthy of the warrior, right? This is an Akatara (Cook Islands) I just finished for Gecko. It is six feet three inches long, carved in old growth black walnut and is a combination of three of this type of weapon that I have pictures of. It requires applying 44 individual serrated edges, 22 on each side...(boy, when those are done decorating the club is a pleasure!). The ancient design of these clubs is astonishingly effective, considering they are made of wood. Prior to finishing this one I took a single hard swipe at a 240-lb. corobond box, about the thickness of the skin on your knee, and this thing ripped a ghastly hole straight across it with ease (I have a picture I'll put on later). That said, this was done in the hands of a big, clumsy ass like me. Written history has it that indigenous war-wagers anywhere in the South Pacific were Samurai-like in their skill and discipline with their weapons. I could only imagine what kind of hell 3-or-4 hundred of these could unleash on a British or Dutch crew of 50 or 60 armed with muskets. You'd get the first shot off on the first wave of warriors and the second wave would be on you like a swarm of bees. Unlike the western invaders, they had no fear of death. You'd be (1) dead or (2) cut from stem to stern before you could even get your patch box open to load the second shot. Just ask James Cook! The small club pictured in the last shot is a simple Samoan type similar to ones that hang in groups in the Mai Kai and the now defunct hollywood Don The Beachcomber's.

[ Edited by: Basement Kahuna on 2003-03-30 00:14 ]