Ancient Hawaiian warriors, or Koa, were the bloodiest and most brutal fighters in Hawaiian history. They trained like Olympians to keep their bodies in shape, the Nobles practiced ancient Hawaiian martial arts called Lua, and specialized in many deadly and gruesome techniques like bone breaking and disembowelment. And you thought MMA was hardcore!
Many of these weapons were made just for that task. Weapons were fashioned from objects found in nature, from the land, sea, and sky. Gruesome spears, axes, and clubs were used to incapacitate enemies by breaking bones, severing limbs, and puncturing vital points in the bodies. And if that's not dark enough, some of these so called weapons were used to play games!
Today's featured item is one of those weapons. Is it a dagger? Sword? Ancient relic that summon the god's power to your side as you... okay, okay, maybe not that. Actually not traditional, this is a contemporary Polynesian weapon that measures 15 inches from the tip of the marlin bill to the solid Koa pommel. 10 tiger shark teeth (5 on each side) flank the marlin bill and is secured by a strong string fiber. A loop of string at the end of the pommel is decorated with brown chicken feathers. Put it around your wrist so you never lose it while going shopping, or doing your errands.
A closer inspection of this weapon, I would say this weapon was a dagger of some sort. The tip would be used to stab the soft parts of the body, like the neck, eyes, or stomach, while the shark teeth was meant to be used as a saw to rip the flesh. The tips of the spears would sometimes break off and get lodged inside the body, which was a tactic used to stop foes by causing extreme and debilitating pain.
Tell friends and coworkers it's a relic handed down from your ancestors and has been used in many ancient wars. Tell your rascal kids that it's what your parents used when you were younger. Either way, its the perfect show piece in any home. With so much history behind such a simple item, it will be the perfect conversation starter. Just get your story straight.