War Club, "Culacula"

"Culacula," priest's or chief's hardwood club, with a narrow paddle-like blade, serrated edges and a cross rib at the base. The thin edge of the blade was used as a weapon, for cutting and snapping through bone. Marks: remnant of a red and white tag reads, "P. 98". Publication: for a similar club see Fergus Clunie, "Yalo I Viti," Fiji Museum, 1986, pp. 119 & 185, and Clunie, "Fijian Weapons and Warfare," 1977, p. 55-56. Note on old catalogue card states, "Paddle type (Churchill's 'serrated' type). Attached tag says 'Fiji Is. E[dge]. Partington]. 98". Exhibited Magnificent Voyagers, National Museum of Natural History, 1985-86.

From card: "Paddle type (Churchill's "Serrated" type). Attached tag says "Fiji Is. E. P. 98".

This object was collected in Fiji under the direction of Lt. Charles Wilkes, leader of the historic United States Exploring Expedition, the American scientific expedition to circumnavigate the globe. The objects collected from that expedition became some of the founding collections of the Smithsonian Institution.