Solomon Island War Clubs

There are many different styles of Solomon Island War Clubs. They vary in style and shape depending on the region/tribe they come from. This article is an introduction to the different types of Solomon Island war clubs and Melanesian war clubs. It has images to help readers identify where a war club comes from.

Solomon Island War clubs are quite beautiful in their own right and are highly collectible. They are not just collected by militaria enthusiasts but by collectors of antique tribal art.

I buy Solomon Island War Clubs and Solomon Islands Art so if you have one to sell I would love to see it. If you just want to know what your Solomon Island war club is worth please feel free to send me a Jpeg.

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Solomon Island War clubs General information

 
Solomon Island War clubs, in general, are less refined than Polynesian War clubs and made from a variety of hardwoods. Not all Solomon Island clubs were for fighting many had ceremonial uses. 
 
Clubs were for skirmish warfare in close quarters and ambush tactics. Often the club was for finishing off a victim after injury by arrow or spear.

Solomon Islands War Club Types

Buka Island Clubs

Clubs from Buka Island in New Guinea are artistically North Solomon islands. They are very collectible due to the wonderful figures found on the handle.

Even the figure from the handle alone is of some collectible value. They are usually made from Kwila or other dark hardwood trees.

Used in ceremonial dances and they are sometimes called dance paddles.

Solomon Island Paddle clubs

 
There is a variety of war clubs from the Solomon Islands. Each group of islands often had different cultures and this shows in their styles of clubs. The most common of these are paddle-like clubs. Paddle clubs are normally plain but sometimes have incised designs.

Alafolo Club

Made from heavy ironwood these clubs come from Malaita Island. They have two protuberances that are often referred to as noses.

Solomon Island parrying clubs

These shield clubs had a defensive purpose and were for deflecting light spears and arrows.

The type on the left called a Roromaraugi is very collectible. Value is often determined by how pretty the figure on the bottom of the shaft is.

The type on the right called a Qauata and is far more common.

Solomon Island Baton

Solomon Island ceremonial batons are often thought to be a club or cudgel. They come from the Araere People South Malaita Island. The shaft is inlaid with pearl or nautilus shell and the top with a woven cane over wood.

Subi of Supe club

These come from Malaita Island and have a coir string binding on the handle. These were made for sale and barter to servicemen in world war II in the hundreds. Old ones are quite rare but WWII examples are very common.

Nggela Solomon Island War club

These clubs are quite common but often have the binding on the handle missing.

Most serious collectors want an example that has the finely woven binding on the handle intact.

Santa Cruz Dance Club

 
These Napa dance clubs were exclusively for a ceremony. Good examples retain the painted designs.
Great examples should have their fiber and rattle nut attachments.

Solomon island throwing Club

 
These clubs usually have eight raised lobes and a tightly woven fiber cap. There are later examples of this club made for sale to travelers. These are easily distinguished from earlier examples by the quality and intensity of the weaving at the top. Often mistaken for a Fijian Ula Club.

All images in this article are for educational purposes only.

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Valuation

Solomon Island War Club Value

All old Solomon island War clubs and clubs from the South Pacific Islands have some value. The value of a war club depends on the beauty rarity and condition. If you have a club and it isn’t shown here please look through my articles Polynesian clubs Fijian Clubs and Aboriginal Clubs. If you still cannot find information on a club feel free to send me some images.

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