Other formats

    TEI XML file   ePub eBook file  

Connect

    mail icontwitter iconBlogspot iconrss icon

Samoan Material Culture

Spear Throwing

Spear Throwing

A military exercise or game (tolonga; tolo, to throw a spear) was generally indulged in as practice when war was impending. It was regarded by others as an ominous sign. If news arrived that a particular village was playing tolonga, other villages that had, reason to suspect such activities were at once on the alert in taking defensive measures to provide against attack. The game was played by opposing sides casting spears at a target.

The target was formed from the stem of a young coconut tree, dug up with the rounded part of the root. The root end with the bulbous lower part of the stem was trimmed up as the actual mark and the other end buried in the ground to raise the target about 6 feet from the ground. A transverse ring (fusina) was cut below the bulb. The sides above the ring or boundary was called the fa and the cut off circle of the root which faced upwards was the niu sina or bull's-eye. A spear landing in the bull's-eye was the highest possible achievement in the game and was metaphorically applied to civil life. This originated the saying: "'Ua tau i niu sina 'ae le tail i fusina" (It has landed in the bull's-eye and not on the boundary). If a man marries the daughter of a high ranking chief, he has struck the niusina, not the fusina.

The spears used are of two kinds; au velo fua, and 'ape-too.

The au velo fua are the ordinary spears used which range from 10 to 14 feet in length as suits individual players. They are usually made of olasina wood. One end is thicker and is sharpened.

The 'ape tao ('ape, to pluck out, and tao, spear) is so named from its being made larger and heavier than the others and used to dislodge opponents' spears that are stuck in the bull's-eye. In such cases it is thrown first by the second team and at a slant or crosswise to knock the scoring spears out of the target. When not so needed it may be thrown as an ordinary scoring spear.

The game. The number of players in each team is left to mutual arrangement. The starting mark is about 15 yards from the target. All the players of one side throw before the other team commences. As the bull's-eye faces upwards, the object is to throw the spear with a high trajectory so that it may fall fairly vertically on the mark.

page 571

To score, the spear must remain stuck in the mark after both teams have thrown. The spear in the most central position scores as do all those on the niu sina that are nearer the center than any of the opponent's spears. When a member of the first team scores in good position, the following players of that side attempt to protect their scoring spear by sticking spears in front of it and on the side of the vertical portion (fa) facing the throwers. The command given by the leader has also become a saying applied to any preventive measures: "'Ia puni lava le fa" (Fill up the front of the target).

If the front of the target is filled with spears the ends of which stand obliquely upwards, it is extremely difficult for the following team to knock out the scoring spear with the heavy 'ape tao.

The target chip. A curious score is obtained when a spear pierces the edge of the fa and carries away a piece of the target with it. So long as the chip which is termed laufa remains imbedded on the spear point, it scores a point. Hence: "Numia ma le laufa" (Spear with the target chip).

Schultz (28, p. 115) gives another interesting saying applied to a chief living in a strange village who on addressing visitors from his own village, apologizes for himself by saying that he has no status away from home. The visitors reply by quoting: "'O le tao e alu ma le laufa" (The spear goes with the target chip adhering to it).

The chief is the spear, and his status and title, the target chip which clings to him.

On the other hand, when a chip is knocked off without sticking to the spear, it is of no account and is likened to a chief without home or supporters: "Laufa le ainga" (A target chip without relations).

Laufa is a talking chief's title in Safotu, Savaii, now held by Timu. Timu's father, Laufa was one of the first council (fono) of thirteen talking chiefs under the German Administration, of which Toelupe of Upolu is the only survivor.

Other sayings. Pratt gives taosala as a spear placed high up in the hilt of the target and tusala as to stand in the wrong place. An old man in a village whose contemporaries have all passed away is referred to as, "'O le tao 'ua tu'ua i le fa" (The spear left in the target).

The side boundaries of the throwing ground are called 'aulape. Before the game starts the 'aulape are defined by the people of the village not taking part in the contest. This preliminary gathering is used metaphorically to denote that all is ready for any project that is being planned: "'Ua ta'oto le 'aulape o le nu'u (The side boundaries of the village have been formed).

The above is a variation of the saying concerning the afenga boundary in the dart casting game.