116 - Kiakavo dance club, known as a “rifle butt”

Kiakavo dance club, known as a “rifle butt” Hardwood, likely vesi (Intsia bijuga), with an old, glossy reddish-honey patina. Fiji Islands, 19th century. L: 95 cm The long, cylindrical shaft ends in a curved, spurred head. The spur extending from beneath the head forms a small protruding ridge at the angle, while a fine incised decoration runs along the outer surface of the head. The taut line of the shaft and the curve of the head give the piece a beautiful balance. In Fiji, where war shaped the lives of chiefdoms in the 19th century, the club was the weapon par excellence, and its carvers formed a respected guild that produced numerous variations depending on the intended blow. The club with a bent, spurred head—which Westerners commonly called a “rifle butt” because of its shape—is called a gata when intended for combat: its spur forms a V with the head, allowing it to parry blows. The kiakavo is the lighter, dance-specific variant. Both share the same silhouette, and only one detail distinguishes them: the small ridge called teretere, located in the angle between the spur and the head, is unique to the kiakavo and indicates its ceremonial use. It was wielded by men during dances (meke) and festivals to enhance their movements. Documentary references: Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa, Wellington, kiakavo club, Fiji, inv. FE004965. Bowers Museum, Santa Ana, kiakavo dance club, Fiji, inv. 97.138.13. General bibliography: Fergus Clunie, *Yalo i Viti: Shades of Viti. A Fiji Museum Catalogue*, Suva, Fiji Museum, 1986.