Links to the Past: The Work of Early Hawaiian Artisans

Clubs

Their Clubs are about a foot long with round heads and strings through the handles of them. David Samwell, surgeon on Cook’s third voyage (in Hawai‘i 1778–9) The clubs are made indifferently of several sorts of wood. They are of rude workmanship, and of a variety of shapes and sizes. James King, commander on Cook’s third voyage on Captain Cook’s death: ... taking him unaware he sprung to him, knocked him on the back of his head with a large Club ... David Samwell ... the captain did not fall in consequence of his wound, but still pressed towards the boats; the Indians, however, rushed upon him, and, with clubs and stones, soon put a period to his existence! William Ellis, surgeon on Cook’s third voyage 196 CLUBS 3 lobes. Hawai‘i Is. 20.3cm BPBM 4766 3 lobes. Hawai‘i Is. 24.1cm BPBM 4772 19.3cm BPBM 9270 Clubs Wood tripping clubs / pīkoi Eighteenth-century Hawaiians used clubs (newa, hoa,l a ‘au,l a ‘au palau , palau ) in real and mock battles. It is not known whether the numerous Hawaiian terms for the weapons identify specific shapes or sizes or if they derive from usage on specific islands. Like other valued objects, many clubs were given names. The smallest stone clubs were completely contained inside the fist and the largest (5–10 kg), known as w awahi wa‘a or pohaku wawahi wa‘a, were designed to break canoe walls or outriggers when thrown onto them. Most clubs had holes bored into or across the base of the handle to enable the user to carry the weapon secretly around his neck, attach it securely to his wrist, or affix it to a tripping cord. One-piece clubs were made of stone or hardwood. Some were minimally carved from heavy, densely formed tree roots or burls with little additional modeling except for carefully crafted handles. Two-piece clubs had symmetrical stone heads lashed onto wooden handles. The heavy stone head gave the weapon more heft than a one-piece club. Only one two-piece club has been collected with its lashing intact. To securely attach the handle, carvers shaped stone heads with rims or flanges just above the base to accommodate the lashing. Other sharply lobed club heads had a deep cavity in the bottom so the handle end could be set tightly into it. The tripping club (pīkoi, ‘īkoi) was attached to a long cord and thrown like a bolo to entangle a victim’s arms or legs. Experts disagree on the intended or actual use of many clubs. Was the object used for killing people or fish? Was it used as a bait stick, a pestle, or tapa beater? Was a perforated stone a tripping club, a plummet sinker, or a canoe breaker? Was this large grooved stone a canoe breaker or an anchor? Could its use have changed depending on the task at hand? Could it have been refashioned from a broken tool for another use? Absence of early detailed descriptions of objects and their uses makes it impossible to answer such questions. Although Cook’s crew observed clubs in use and commented on them, they did not collect any examples; in fact, only a handful are found in museums outside of Honolulu. Perhaps their utilitarian form did not appeal to many collectors. In addition, few stone clubs have been uncovered at archeological sites, which has led some specialists to suggest that they are a late development. Certainly Western weapons quickly replaced traditional stone ones soon after Europeans arrived. Links to the Past 199 Stone club head with wooden handle collected in 1792 on Vancouver voyage. Base of stone head modeled to allow for cordage. 23.3cm BrM Oc,Van.266 Hawai‘i Is. 23.2cm 1.3Kg BPBM 4786 4 lobes. Hawai‘i Is. 18cm BPBM D4071 4 lobes. Kaua‘i 24.6cm 1.4Kg BPBM 4785 24cm BrM Oc,+.139 Stone clubs / newa Clubs 26.7cm BrM Oc,Haw.178 Square hole 3 persons said killed by this club. O‘ahu 36.8cm BPBM 4771 44.5cm PE E19,716 Wooden clubs / palau 200 With human teeth. 26.5cm Masco 99f Links to the Past 201 Piercing club. Hawai‘i Is. 28.3cm BPBM 4779 Round wrist cord perforation. 31cm Canterbury E150.1196 Hawai...