Pakipaki are a tapering club with a very flattened diamond cross section and are the most common form of Tongan club. The paddle club with its rounded upper end was often distinguished by finely carved decoration over its entire surface. It was sometimes found with and without a transverse ridged collar or cross rib.

Clubs of this form were also found in Samoa but Samoan clubs tend to be more angular and collar features more profuse. In general, the finish on Samoan clubs is poorer and the engraving less extensive and less intricate.

In combat they were designed to cut flesh and break bone.

These clubs were also found in Fiji but were Tongan imports.

Examples shown here are exeptionally fine. Most clubs just have panels of geometric designs

The Tongan Apa’apai club has a diamond-sectioned flat-topped head. It is sometimes referred to as a coconut-stalk club. These clubs often have some of the best examples of glyphs on any Tongan club. Some Apa’apai have a slightly concave top.

 

Paddle clubs from Tonga were never used as paddles. They get the name purely from the shape. They are used in a similar manner as the Tongan Pakipaki to break bone and cut.

Many paddle clubs were also used for ceremonial dancing and normally have segments of geometric carving but lack glyphs and inlay.

KiniKini
These clubs were only owned by High Chiefs and powerful native Priests. Priests and chiefs with this club on a battlefield were exempt from actual combat. These broad cluds acted as shields against arrows and throwing clubs.

They often have two circular motifs that represent eyes that also offer spiritual protection.

These clubs are rare and collectable.

 

Pukepuke war clubs are the Tongan equivalent to the Fijian Bulibuli. Tongan Pukepuke clubs are much rarer than the Fijian equivalent. Pukepuke have better workmanship and are more likely to be intricately carved along the shaft.. They are a Tonganese version of an originally Fijian club.

These long heavy clubs were best used in open grassland fighting.

They are rare and account for less than 3 percent of Tongan clubs.

Kolo –

The short throwing Tongan club. These clubs are similar to Fijian Ula and it is likely that throwing clubs originated in Fiji and spread to Tonga.

Tongan throwing clubs are far rarer than Fijian Ula and tend to have a higher degree of workmanship. The head shape on a Kolo is more spherical than an Ula.

It can be very difficult to tell some Fijian Ula made by a Tongan craftsman on Fiji from a Kolo club.

Akau tau formal characteristics are a straight shaft, cylindrical below, that becomes hexagonally, octagonally or nonagonally carinated as it widens slightly towards the head. At the head, each of these carinations everts to join the pointed base of an equal number of radiating raised bosses.

Tongan War clubs

Tongan clubs can be often differentiated from similar Fijian club forms by the presence of a lug for a wrist thong at the base of the butt. They can be further differentiated from Samoan clubs, which also have a lug, on the basis of lug form. In Samoan examples, the lugs are usually triangular and occupy the entire width of the club base. In Tongan clubs, these lugs are more often rectangular or arched and do not traverse the width of the base. Sometimes Tongan weapons have holes chiseled into the base for the attachment of wrist thongs”

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