Club

ClassificationsArms and Armor-clubs

Date20th Century

Made AtManus Province, Papua New Guinea

MediumWood and turtle bone

Dimensions51 × 14 × 2 in. (129.5 × 35.6 × 5.1 cm)

Credit LineAnonymous Gift

Object number2015.11.1

DescriptionThis fighting club originates from Wuvulu Island, also known as Matti Island. Attached to the main handle are eight thin blades made of turtle bone protruding out along either side.

Island Oceania is divided into Melanesia, Micronesia, and Polynesia, but trade and migration have created a great deal of commonality among these cultural and geographic subregions. Despite being only 100 miles away from the coast of New Guinea, the center of Melanesian culture, most individuals on the island of Wuvulu are of Micronesian descent. Some of the earliest theories about the island’s connection to Micronesia were surmised from the use of similar shark tooth weapons to those used in the Gilbert Islands. To this day the unique functional and decorative objects produced on Wuvulu show influences from both Melanesia and Micronesia.

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