An Unusually Small Vanuatu ‘Ball Headed’ Club

Object Description

An Unusually Small Vanuatu ‘Ball Headed’ Club
Fine glossy patina, old wear from use, very old loss
Wood
New Hebrides, Vanuatu, Northern Malekula
19th Century

SIZE: 63cm long – 24¾ ins long

Object History

Ex Danish collection
Ex Private collection

Object Literature

During the 19th century the Islanders of the New Hebrides suffered extreme abuse at the hands of whalers and other traders and they became known for their hostility. Their most famous victim was the Reverend John Williams, a Welsh Methodist missionary, ‘The Martyr of Erromanga’ who was killed in 1839, and ever after commemorated in a ‘Baxter’ print.
Despite this, although inter-tribal warfare was frequent on the Islands it took the form of ambushes and local skirmishes and there were few fatalities. A carved wood club such as this was the most favoured weapon.

Object Details