Club

Item number C1052 from the MOA: University of British Columbia.

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Description

Black wooden club with a curved, bulbous end. Geometric patterns composed of triangles carved on the handle. Club end has a 'pineapple' knob and is curved, ending in a long point. Braided bands are tied and wrapped around both ends of the handle.

History Of Use

Clubs were a favourite weapon in Fiji, and a greater variety of forms was found there than anywhere else in the Pacific. Some forms had specific functions, such as this totokia. It was intended to drive a hole through the enemy’s skull. Clubs owned by chiefs or great warriors were buried with them as protection on the perilous journey to the afterworld. The contemporary respect for the totokia is demonstrated by its appearance in the arms of a warrior on the Fijian National Coat of Arms.