page 572

Club Matches

Club, matches (aingofie) were much in vogue at some of the important gatherings, but have now been entirely abandoned. They consisted of hand to hand fighting and formed an excellent opportunity for the warriors to, display their skill and prowess.

The club used was made of the large lapalapa midrib of the coconut leaf. The butt end was used for striking and the thin, curled side edges were trimmed off. As the butt was liable to split, it was bound transversely with sennit braid. The thinner part formed a natural handle from which the leaflets were removed thus making a club with an expanded head. The club was about 4 feet long and was used with both hands.

The game. Churchill (5, p. 13) gives a description of the procedure. Each warrior had a second (nafa). The challenge was delivered by the warrior brandishing (oli) his club with the head upwards or causing it to quiver (vilivili) as he struck light downward blows on his left hand and then drew the club over the palm. The challenge was similarly accepted.

The contestants then paraded between the two opposing forces. The seconds took their position to the left and slightly to the rear of their principal's opponent. Churchill states that the seconds' duties were to obscure as they could not take part in the contest. The principals were placed back to back (fefulitua) facing their own parties who saluted them by raising their clubs. After receiving the salute, they turned and leaped back into position.

Owing to the heavy nature of the clubs, there was none of the light footwork and quickly changing positions that marked Maori club exercises. Also, as there was no point, there were no thrusting blows. The principals seemed to stand up to each other and simply strike diagonal, right handed blows, relying on the sheer weight of bruising blows to place their opponent out of action. The parry was used, but there is no information as to fine points of the system, if there were any.

Churchill (5, p. 13) states:

The stance is of the utmost importance, and the object of each fighter as soon as he comes within reach of his opponent is to dig footholds, the left foot forward, and much of the chance of success in the combat rests in the fortune of being able to establish oneself firmly. The skilled fencer will not leave his foothold, if satisfactory at the beginning, until his enemy is disabled or gives ground.

From the above data, there seems to have been little variety in the scope of attack and defence. Churchill (5, p. 9) gives a number of words used:

• Ta, the general word for a blow.
• Si'ita and taualunga, raising the club to strike.
• Faivaaulima, the first blow struck.
• Fa'anunuta, general rally of interchanged blows.
• Tatavale, ill directed blows.page 573
• Tapolo, a well directed blow.
• Talita, to parry a blow.

The fight went on until one was disabled or lowered his hands (taulalo) in token of defeat. The victor tossed his club in the air and raised the ailao yell whilst his party shouted "tue" in triumph.

Sham fights. Stair (34 a, pp. 55, 56) gives the following data on sham fights at religious festivals:

In the Aana district of Upolu, they took place at the central malae of Le Ulumoenga at the dedication of Aana to the god Le Fee. In Atua, Upolu, they took place during the festival of the "Carrying of Atua to Tupua-le-ngase," first at Moamoa in Falefa and then at Falepapa in Lufilufi. A picked company of Atuan men called Tulanga-a-Sasavea were champions of the district and challenged any visitors to single combat at the Moamoa gathering. On the following day at Falepapa, another picked company called Tulanga-a-Sasavai challenged the visitors. The warriors who had contended with each other the day before exchanged their ti leaf kilts in token of good will.

The stand-up fighting from stationary footholds, with heavy clubs capable of a limited number of strokes, is interesting as indicating an early form of military exercise in which endurance and strength were the main factors to success.