War club - Collecting Tiki

TT Trader Tom Tiki Socialite West Hills, CA Joined: Jan 26, 2006 Posts: 980	TT Trader Tom Posted posted on Fri, Nov 20, 2009 1:28 PM I figured I should archive those pics since it was such a nice one. Some day I'd like to have one too, although I would be happy with a nice reproduction since the British museum only estimates that 200 originals survive today. I first came across the 'u'u when reading about Basement Kahuna doing a version on the following thread: http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=18481&forum=7&start=0&hilite=basement%20kahuna%20club Here's a little more info on these clubs below. I believe the Mouina engraving mentioned is the one that Hottiki posted above. "The form of these clubs was recorded during Captain Cook's second voyage (1772-5) and they are shown in nineteenth-century engravings such as the portrait of Mouina, chief warrior of the Tayehs by Captain David Porter of the US Navy ship Essex. The Essex arrived in the Marquesas Islands in 1813 where Porter recorded clashing with Mouina after the warrior refused to supply him with pork and fruit. His engraving shows an impressive man, his body completely tattooed, holding a tall, thin club very like this one. The club is predominantly made out of ironwood, a very tough and heavy wood known as toa, which is also the word for warrior. It has a number of faces carved into either side of it at the top, which were thought to provide its owner with extra protection. It has a handle bound with coir and human hair. Its rich, dark patina is thought to have been achieved by soaking the club in taro swamps and polishing it with coconut oil. Many examples of this kind of club were collected in the first half of the nineteenth century and around 200 are thought to have survived." Dr S. Hooper, Pacific Encounters: Art and Di (London, The British Museum Press, 2006) [ Edited by: Trader Tom 2009-11-20 13:38 ]

I figured I should archive those pics since it was such a nice one. Some day I'd like to have one too, although I would be happy with a nice reproduction since the British museum only estimates that 200 originals survive today.

I first came across the 'u'u when reading about Basement Kahuna doing a version on the following thread:

http://www.tikicentral.com/viewtopic.php?mode=viewtopic&topic=18481&forum=7&start=0&hilite=basement%20kahuna%20club

Here's a little more info on these clubs below. I believe the Mouina engraving mentioned is the one that Hottiki posted above.

"The form of these clubs was recorded during Captain Cook's second voyage (1772-5) and they are shown in nineteenth-century engravings such as the portrait of Mouina, chief warrior of the Tayehs by Captain David Porter of the US Navy ship Essex. The Essex arrived in the Marquesas Islands in 1813 where Porter recorded clashing with Mouina after the warrior refused to supply him with pork and fruit. His engraving shows an impressive man, his body completely tattooed, holding a tall, thin club very like this one.

The club is predominantly made out of ironwood, a very tough and heavy wood known as toa, which is also the word for warrior. It has a number of faces carved into either side of it at the top, which were thought to provide its owner with extra protection. It has a handle bound with coir and human hair. Its rich, dark patina is thought to have been achieved by soaking the club in taro swamps and polishing it with coconut oil.

Many examples of this kind of club were collected in the first half of the nineteenth century and around 200 are thought to have survived."

Dr S. Hooper, Pacific Encounters: Art and Di (London, The British Museum Press, 2006)

[ Edited by: Trader Tom 2009-11-20 13:38 ]

Post #494856 by Trader Tom on Fri, Nov 20, 2009 1:28 PM