Club, of wood, from Tonga; part of the Forster collection (Forster 76; 1886.1.1440)

The club has been described as being of the apa’apai type, said to resemble a coconut leaf midrib. The club is 1230 mm in length and 135 mm wide at the top (but note missing section). The decoration begins 78 mm from the end of the club handle, with a double raised 12 mm wide collar, followed by: a band 64 mm wide with four squares filled with chevron and grid carving (the pattern is the same on the other side); a flat triple collar 42 mm wide (the central band is carved with two horizontal lines); a band 85 mm wide, carved in a wide zig-zag pattern (the reverse is carved in a pattern of squares); a triple flat collar 38 mm wide (the central band is carved with three horizontal lines); a 69 mm carved band, in the same pattern of squares as the previous reverse panel (the reverse is carved with a pattern of diagonal lines and triangles); a flat collar 40 mm wide (the central panel is carved with four horizontal lines); a panel 63 mm wide carved with squares filled with a chevron and grid pattern (on the reverse are rectangular panels also filled with grid and chevron patterns); a final flat collar 32 mm in diameter (the central panel carved with three horizontal lines)

• Museum database entry.