14 CLUB TYPES OF NUCLEAR POLYNESIA. 
down. Accordingly we may readily consider the art of club fencing 
under the successive headings of the blow, the parry, and the result. 
In the play of the heavier clubs there can be but two positions from 
which the stroke can be delivered—overhead and over the right shoul- 
der—and in the case of the larger edged clubs the latter alone is feasi- 
ble. ‘To deliver the stroke is expressed in Samoan and in the other 
Polynesian languages of this region by the verb ta, which refers to a 
stroke from above downward and outward; in the Fijian tukz implies 
the general impact of the club and lamba suggests a blow with a broad 
surface. In Tongan only do we find a particular designation of the 
blow as regards the point from which it is delivered in hahau as the 
stroke from over the head. ‘The preparation for this type of stroke 
is variously indicated in the several languages. The following words 
denote the raising of the hands and the club to the position in which 
the stroke may begin: Samoa, s2‘zta and taualuga; Fiji, langa and 
tembelaka. In Samoan the first blow of the contest is fa‘alangata; 
strokes at random are faivadulima; a general rally of several inter- 
changed blows fa‘anunuta; strokes that are ill-directed and miss the 
foe are spoken of as tatavale, in contradistinction to tapoto, which signi- 
fies fencing with good address and skill. It will, of course, be under- 
stood that with these heavy clubs it is necessary to use both hands. 
Against these heavy blows the opposite party opposes either guard 
or parry, the general term being: Samoa, talita; Niué, patali; the 
signification in each case being to receive the stroke upon the opposing 
club. In several of the languages a specific term exists for the guard 
against the downward cut directed upon the head: Futuna, apaapai; 
Fiji, sambaya; Niué, punuir; the sense in each being to hold the club 
horizontally above the head and on it in this position to receive the 
blow. ‘The shift in position is made with remarkable facility from the 
stroke poise, in which the hands are already elevated; the left hand is 
diverted to the left and sharply upward, clutching the haft and drawing 
the club through the relaxed right hand, which again clutches the shaft 
near the head and is itself in turn sharply raised, the maintenance of 
the horizontal position of the club being essential in order that the 
hands may not be disabled by a glancing blow. In Niué, without 
further description of manner, akau punuti and akau papa are noted as 
guards of the head and chest respectively. Considerable dexterity is 
manifested in evading blows by shifts of body-position (Polynesian, 
kalo; Fiji, leve), either by bending away from the coming stroke or 
stooping so that it may pass harmlessly over. In the club dances the 
performers escape cuts at the legs by leaping in the air, but in actual 
combat it is quite impossible that any such practice is resorted to, 
since the importance of the stance is paramount. 
The paddle clubs exhibit some advance in the science of arms. They 
may be employed in cutting blows and also for the value of the thrust 
