Club "u'u" ·  Marquesas Islands · ID: 3053475

Description

ironwood (Casuarina equisetifolia) - called “toa”,

The ornamental decoration on the two-faced “u’u” clubs varies. However, they all have the three mask faces in common on each side, forming the eyes and nose.

These massive heavy clubs were used for both fighting and prestige displays, and in some cases were kept as trophies of victorious encounters. As valuable heirlooms, they were passed down in the family.

Carved by specialists, the clubs were commissioned at a high cost. Once completed, they were finely sanded with sharkskin and placed in the mud of a taro patch for curing and blackening. Afterwards the club was regularly rubbed and polished with scented coconut oil, which produced a lacquer-like finish.

Comparing literature

Hooper, Steven (ed.), Power and Prestige. The Art of Clubs in Oceania, Exhibition catalogue, Venice 2021, p. 140 f.