Tebutje
| Tebutje | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Information | |
| Weapon type: | Percussion weapon |
| Designations: | Shark tooth sword |
| Use: | Weapon, traditional weapon, |
| Creation time: | before the 16th century |
| Working time: | til today |
| Region of origin / author: |
Micronesia , tribes of the Gilbert Islands, today the island state of Kiribati |
| Distribution: | Micronesia |
| Overall length: | about 65 cm |
| Blade width: | about 2.8 cm |
| Handle: | Wood, shark teeth |
| Particularities: | The shark tooth weapons come in various sizes and designs, from brass knuckles, knives and swords to long spears |
| Lists on the subject | |
The Tebutje are so-called shark tooth weapons from the Gilbert Islands , which belong to the island state of Kiribati .
history
The Tebutje were developed by the inhabitants of the Gilbert Islands ( Micronesians ) before the 16th century. They used materials that naturally occurred in their living space. Shark tooth weapons of this type are also known on the Ellice Islands , the culturally related neighboring island of Nauru, as well as the Philippines and Hawaii .
description
The Tebutje weapons are all the same in their material composition. A piece of old, seasoned hardwood from the coconut palm , also from the mangrove , is used as the weapon body and is brought into the desired shape and length. They can be straight or curved. Grooves are cut into the outer edges , into which teeth that are as uniform as possible, especially those of the upper jaw of a shark , are then inserted with the help of resin. Holes are drilled in the teeth beforehand and additionally tied with coconut fibers with corresponding holes in the wood and thus secured against falling out. They can be attached to the weapon body on one, two or four sides, with the tips of the teeth facing towards the enemy or towards the rear, depending on the type of weapon. In addition, bifurcations can be made on the right and left to defend against opposing impacts. The tip, which is either carved to a point or provided with an additional shark tooth, is used for pushing. This type of construction is used for various types of weapons such as knives, swords, long spears or brass knuckles.
Shark teeth of the predominantly shallow water-preferring shark species, which are caught in lagoons or behind the reefs of the Pacific atolls , are used. These include sand sharks (Odontaspididae), gray sharks (Carcharhinus), blue sharks (Prionace) or lemon sharks (Negaprion). In other regions tiger shark (Galeocerdo cuvier) teeth are also used.
Type designations
Within the Gilbert Islands there are a variety of terms for the weapons that can be assigned to the Tebutje, which can then be linguistically differentiated between the northern, central and southern islands.
Tebutu (also Kiribati : te butu ). Length: approx. 10–16 cm, variable. Single row versions with 1–4 teeth. A strap is attached to the end of the weapon to secure the weapon to the hand. Also counts as a woman’s weapon (e.g. used in jealousy disputes). The term Tebutje is probably derived from te butu , since Tebutje is not a Gilbertian word.
Tetoanea (also: te toa nea , translated: the two-sided; also: rere ). Length: approx. 65–90 cm. It is a sword with the predominant character of a rifle weapon. The body of the weapon is, however, made stronger so that it can also be used as a sword club in individual combat. Just like the tebutu, it has a cord at the end of the handle to secure it.
Teunun (also: te unun ; unun is also the name of a lagoon shark). Length: approx. 3–5 m, variable. It serves as a push spear.
commitment
The use of these weapons by the Gilbertese, who were considered controversial, was a man's business. However, they were not used by the lone fighters to kill, but to wound the enemy. The killing only occurred after the arrival of Hawaiian teachers and missionaries and culminated in the so-called religious wars of Tabiteuea in 1880. These formerly famous assault weapons and protective armor, which could also have forearm protection plates equipped with shark teeth, are still available as museum objects. Swords and daggers are still made today for tourism purposes only.
See also
literature
- Thomas A. Green (Ed.): Martial arts of the world. To encyclopedia. 2 volumes. ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara CA 2001, ISBN 1-57607-150-2 .
- George Cameron Stone : A glossary of the construction, decoration and use of arms and armor in all countries and in all times. Foreword by Donald J. LaRocca. Dover Publications, Mineola NY 1999, ISBN 0-486-40726-8 (first edition 1934, on the subject: pp. 608-609 and figures 779 and 780 in the English language Wikipedia).
- Nick Evangelista : The encyclopedia of the sword. Greenwood Press, Westport CT 1995, ISBN 0-313-27896-2 .
- Gerd Koch : Material culture of the Gilbert Islands. Nonouti, Tabiteuea, Onotoa. Museum für Völkerkunde, Berlin 1965 ( Publications of the Museum für Völkerkunde, Berlin. Department: Südsee 3 = Publications of the Museum für Völkerkunde Berlin. NF 6, ISSN 0522-9766 ), (On the subject: Chapter: Weapons, pp. 193–197, with pictures).
- Max Jähns : Development history of the old defensive weapons. Mittler, Berlin 1899 (On the subject: p. 194).
Web links
- Image of a Tebutje of the Philippines Powerhouse Museum
- Example of a shark tooth sword from the Hawaii Bishop Museum
- Austin P. Platt: Shark teeth used as weapons by Pacific native peoples - the "Tebutje," with a brief review of the use of shark teeth and fossil silicates by certain native Americans . (PDF; 2.50 MB) In: The Ecphora. Dec. 2005, pp. 7–11 (with illustrations from Stone, no. 779–780)
- GM Murdoch: Gilbert Islands weapons and armor. In: The Journal of the Polynesian Society , Vol. 32, 1923, No. 127, pp. 174-175.
Individual evidence
- ↑ Murdoch, 1923, p. 175
- ^ E. Sabatier: Gilbertese-English dictionary . Tarawa 1971
- ↑ Murdoch, 1923, p. 174
- ↑ Koch, 1965, p. 197
- ↑ Henry E. Maude : Tioba and the Tabiteuean religious wars . In: The Journal of the Polynesian Society. Vol. 90, 1981, No. 3, p. 317.
- ↑ Maude, 1981