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Katoua

human history
  • Other Name

    Cleaving club (English)

  • Description

    Katoua. Club. This is a large katoua, made of wood and is dual-purposed as a cleaver and spear. The traditional purpose of such club is for intended bodily harm during combat however this particular katoua was designed for dances such as takalo (war dance) and meke (drum dance). The base has been gouged to a circumference that enables the holding of the katoua, while it is also possible that it may be a tenon.

    A long and thick protruding line is cut out starting from the base and run up the shaft, fading into the surface as it approaches the tip. The shaft is wide and resembles a paddle blade. The lower half of the katoua, base and part of shaft, is thin in depth and extended in width, whereby the body of the shaft changes drastically in the upper area. The shaft gradually narrows towards the tip, becoming circular and spear-like with a pointed head that is marked by a circumferential protrusion. The point is slightly oblique. Overall, this katoua is dark brown in colour by which appears to be of synthetic source. A range of cut marks and the likes are visible across the body of the katoua and two overt chips are seen on the circumferential protrusion at the point, uncovering the natural colour of wood.

  • Place
  • Accession Date
    1890
  • Other Id

    11442 (ethnology)

  • Department
Katoua, 11442, Photographed by Richard Ng, digital, 17 Jan… … Read more

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