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1933.38.1

Throwing club of dark wood with round bulbous head ( ula ). [FB 19/12/2011]

1933.38.1

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Collection type
Object
Description
Throwing club of dark wood with round bulbous head ( ula ). [FB 19/12/2011]
Long description
Throwing club of dark wood with round bulbous head ( ula ). The bottom half of the handle up to approximately 125 mm from the end is carved with horizontal zigzag patterns based on traditional tattoo designs called tavatava. [FC 05/08/2011]
Geographical reference
Fiji
Oceania > Melanesia > Fiji
Person
Field collector Samuel Ward Payne
Field collector HMS Curaçoa
PRM source Julius Delmege Payne
Date / Period
Date made: Before 1865
Date collected
July 26 - August 3 1865
Acquisition information
Donated: 1933
Materials and processes
Material Wood Plant, Process Carved
Dimensions
Diameter: max 93 mm, Length: max 398 mm
Object numbers
Accession number: 1933.38.1
Research and responses

I Ula tavatava is the native name for this type of club. Throwing clubs characteristically have short handles and bulbous ends. The origins of the fluted head of the 'Ula' lie in the buttress roots of the uprooted ironwood saplings from which these clubs are made. The grip on the handle has a decorative and functional carved motif consisting of a series of parallel zig-zag lines called 'tavatava' which help the warrior to grasp the club firmly when swinging or throwing the weapon. Such clubs were hurled with great skill, precision and speed and was often carried in conjunction with a heavier full length club or spear which served to finish an opponent after initially being disabled by a blow from the ula. [FC 25/07/2011]

Throwing 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.] [AP Leverhulme project on founding collection 1995-1998]

NB Although named after the island of Curaçao, the name of the ship during the voyage of which this object was collected was HMS Curaçoa. [JC 1 2 2013]

Search terms: Weapon, Club

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