A Very Fine Fijian Striated Hardwood Pole Club ‘Bowai’ with a Whale-Tooth Inlay to the ‘Butt’
A Very Fine Fijian Striated Hardwood Pole Club ‘Bowai’ with a Whale-Tooth Inlay to the ‘Butt’
Wood
Fiji
Late 18th - Early 19th Century
SIZE: 110cm long - 43¼ ins long
Wood
Fiji
Late 18th - Early 19th Century
SIZE: 110cm long - 43¼ ins long
1700-1900 1750-1850
Fiji
Wood Whaletooth whale-tooth
110 x 0 cm (43 ¹/₄ x 0 inches)
Fiji
Wood Whaletooth whale-tooth
110 x 0 cm (43 ¹/₄ x 0 inches)
A superb classic ‘Bowai’, which were not usually given decorative carving and were popular in Fiji as two handed fighting clubs. Designed for shattering bone at close quarters during combat on the battlefield these clubs often inflicted very heavy casualty rates of up to fifty per cent. They also had important ‘ceremonial’ functions. ‘Bowai’ were stood up on the butt in religious divination rites and would remain standing if the omen was good, but if it was bad, the club would fall over.
The flared shaft, terminating with a convex ended head. A ‘whale-tooth’ twelve pointed ‘star’ disc inset into the base. The hand grip engraved with typical ‘zig-zag’ carving. Superb honey coloured old silky smooth patina to the beautifully ‘striated’ and ‘stripy’ shaft.
The flared shaft, terminating with a convex ended head. A ‘whale-tooth’ twelve pointed ‘star’ disc inset into the base. The hand grip engraved with typical ‘zig-zag’ carving. Superb honey coloured old silky smooth patina to the beautifully ‘striated’ and ‘stripy’ shaft.
Ex Private English collection
A Very Fine Fijian Striated Hardwood Pole Club ‘Bowai’ with a Whale-Tooth Inlay to the ‘Butt’
