Mid 19th century
Wood
Height: 32½ in (82.6 cm)
Provenance: Gary Seering, Aiea, Hawaii
The bird-head club, known in New Caledonia as the porowa ra maru, was among the most prestigious objects associated with chiefly rank. Clubs of this type were created for and owned by chiefs, functioning as symbols of wealth and authority within a society where material objects carried explicit social meaning. On certain occasions they circulated as gifts during ceremonial exchanges, moving between high-ranking individuals as markers of alliance and status.
The head is carved in the form of a stylized bird, distinguished here by a long, tapering beak that terminates in a fine point. The identification of the bird remains an open question among scholars: since no indigenous New Caledonian bird carries a beak of this profile, some researchers have proposed that the form depicts a sea turtle, its projecting mouth rendered in the register of a beak. The extreme delicacy of the tip makes combat use implausible, supporting the interpretation of these clubs as primarily ceremonial objects.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Mid 19th century
Wood
Height: 32½ in (82.6 cm)
Provenance: Gary Seering, Aiea, Hawaii
The bird-head club, known in New Caledonia as the porowa ra maru, was among the most prestigious objects associated with chiefly rank. Clubs of this type were created for and owned by chiefs, functioning as symbols of wealth and authority within a society where material objects carried explicit social meaning. On certain occasions they circulated as gifts during ceremonial exchanges, moving between high-ranking individuals as markers of alliance and status.
The head is carved in the form of a stylized bird, distinguished here by a long, tapering beak that terminates in a fine point. The identification of the bird remains an open question among scholars: since no indigenous New Caledonian bird carries a beak of this profile, some researchers have proposed that the form depicts a sea turtle, its projecting mouth rendered in the register of a beak. The extreme delicacy of the tip makes combat use implausible, supporting the interpretation of these clubs as primarily ceremonial objects.
We ship free anywhere in the world, fully insured, packed by hand.
Image 1 of 5
Image 2 of 5
Image 3 of 5
Image 4 of 5
Image 5 of 5