Nifo'oti

Nifo'oti. Hooked club. This is a carved nifo'oti made of toa (ironwood). The nifo'oti has a dark brown colour and a smooth unpolished surface. The handle of the nifo'oti is thick and four-sided. Lining the handle are thin cracks all meeting at a large chip at the base of the handle. Tied around the handle is a length of brown twine which may have been used to attach a label. The handle then flares to a wide four sided blade with a diamond cross-section. Lining one side of the blade is a total of twenty five teeth in the shape of elongated spikes. Ten of the teeth have broken at the root and are missing from the blade. The other side of the blade has a straight edge and is adorned with mamanu (Samoan decorative motifs). The mamanu are made of triangular indents haphazardly filled with white powder. The tip of the blade has a rectangular protrusion that has broken and is missing a piece. This protrusion would have been the lave (hook) that is synonymous with nifo'oti. The term nifo'oti is understood a number of ways. One theory references the nifo (curve) of an 'oti (goat) horn as being the inspiration behind the design. While another describes how the nifo (teeth) were used to 'oti (to cut). Traditionally the nifo'oti was used as an 'au'upega (weapon of war) to behead slain enemies and the lave used for storage. Today the nifo'oti survives as a dancing knife used by both male and females for entertainment purposes.