- Collection type
- Object
- Description
- Wooden dance/ceremonial club, (Kiakavo). [FC 08/08/2011]
- Long description
- Wooden dance/ceremonial club, (Kiakavo). The club has a curved neck leading to the head with rounded roughened cheeks, a broad thumb-like spur with a pronounced 'wrinkle' between spur and head and a rounded butt at the end of the handle. The handle has been bound up the entire length with narrow bands of plaited sennit. At the top of the handle red wool has been tied around the club. The sennit is mostly coming undone. [FC 08/08/2011]
- Date / Period
- Date made: Before 1893
- Date collected
- Before 1893
- Acquisition information
- Donated: 1893
- Materials and processes
- Material Wood Plant, Material Sennit Coconut Seed Fibre Plant, Material Wool Yarn Animal, Process Carved, Process Plaited, Process Bound
- Dimensions
- Width: max 210 mm, Height: max 50 mm, Length: max 945 mm
- Object numbers
- Accession number: 1893.38.19
- Research and responses
This object was examined on the 29/30th November 2012 Andy Mills as part of the work of the AHRC-funded project 'Fijian Art: Political Power, Sacred Value, Social Transformation and Collecting Since the 18th Century' (2011-2014). His notes read: "Kiakavo 1893.38.19. Overall L: 960 Oblique L: 865 Jaw W: 105 Head W: 75 Head D: 46 Spur L: Inner 85, Outer 125. Panel of scratched roughing on Inner Curve 235mm long (obliquely). Complex but v. damaged textile binding: 3 colour striped coiling of magimagi, with 2 now loose collars of coarse barkcloth near butt indicating former presence of lozenge-grid over-bindings. AT neck at club are attached several pieces of red sheep's wool." [FB 04/12/2012]
Dance or ceremonial club called kiakavo, rarely if ever used for fighting (it lacks the point at the head end used in fighting clubs of broadly the same shape). It is made in a variety of woods (often soft woods) and frequently the handles are bound with sennit [as here] or pandanus matting, see F Clunie 'Fijian Weapons and Warfare' 1977 Fiji Museum, Suva, Bulletin of the Fiji Museum no.2 and R. Ewins, Fijian Artefacts: Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery collection' Australia 1982.[AP Leverhulme project on founding collection 1995-1998]
Ceremonial or dance club. See F Clunie 'Fijian Weapons and Warfare' 1977 Fiji Museum, Suva, Bulletin of the Fiji Museum no.2 and R. Ewins, Fijian Artefacts: Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery collection' Australia 1982: p.38 "Kiakavo or ulaula (dance and ceremonial clubs). Superficially resembling the sali, these clubs were, however, rarely, if ever used for fighting and lack the sharp 'blade' and pointed 'killing spur' of the sali. They were made of various woods (often light softwoods) and frequently the handles were bound with sinnet and pandanus matting. [FC 08/08/2011]
Search terms: Weapon, Dance, Ritual and Ceremonial, Club