Military Organisation

All warriors were "taboo." The command was allotted to the boldest fighter, who was also expected to be adept in the kind of eloquence calculated to rouse the courage of the warriors immediately before the fight. He would spring forward in the front of the line, and with glowing words extol the greatness and the fame of the tribe, the favour of the gods, the valour of their forefathers; but while enumerating the injuries which had yet to be avenged, he would avoid bringing into prominence the dangers of the moment. The excitement rose to the point of fury. The warriors, kindled by the discourse, would fling off their mats, smear their bodies with charcoal and the sacred red-ochre, adorn their hair with feathers, and dash into the war-dance. In this they would expend a good deal of bodily strength, with the view of kindling the passion of battle in their hearts; they crouched down in rows one behind another, leapt up suddenly at the word of command, jumped on one leg to one side, then on the other leg to the other side, with their meres raised aloft, and then leaping off both feet into the air, brandish their weapons, shouting their songs in quick time. Old women, smeared with ochre, danced in front of the lines.

Then the most renowned warriors advanced, and challenged the foe with opprobrious language, such as Pritchard heard in Samoa. "You banana-eaters of Manono, let Moso twist your necks!" - "You coco-nut eaters of Aana, may your tongues be torn out and burnt." - "Here is my club, to knock down those Savaii pigs. Where is the Savaii pig who wants to be killed?" - "Fry that atua-king, who shall die by my spear!" - " Here is the man-eating gun!" - "Where are they, that dirty herd who pretend to be men?" Finally the two sides would dash furiously upon each other, and a series of single combats would ensue. The event would be decided by the fall or the victory of some one great warrior and the consequent retreat or advance of his side.

It was seldom possible to rally the fugitives; his back once turned, every man ran for his life. The victors returned from the pursuit to the field of battle, and marked with their spears the spots where warriors had fallen. The Maoris used to examine especially if they had had their fists clenched; if so, they had fallen in the moment of victory. Their own wounded they carried away. Then they placed one of the enemy's dead aside as an offering to the gods, and laid the heads of the others at the chief's feet. The wounded were tortured and clubbed to death.

Sacrificial knife, available also as an instrument of torture, from Easter Island
Approx. 190mm in length. (Berlin Museum.)

Modes of Fighting

Sieges

Gunpowder has changed the style of fighting. The islanders, with their dislike of danger and preference for attacking only when they have a manifest advantage, took very readily to fighting at a distance and promiscuous shooting from ambushes all day long. The art of taking cover developed more rapidly than that of attacking. In Fiji they fought around fortresses made of wooden palisades: the women and children having been removed, before the siege began, to a place of safety. Spears were thrown and stones slung from side to side, even red hot stones to set fire to the woodwork, but the besieging party seldom arrived at assaults in the open. Treachery, stratagem, hunger, intimidation, were the principal means to which they resorted. Clever utilisation of natural advantages in the ground, palisades, ramparts faced with stone and loop-holed, and, in the case of fortified villages or pahs in the plain, muddy ditches as well, added strength to the defence. The chief entrance was flanked by walls in the form of bastions and the gate formed of sliding timbers. For naked aborigines a thorn hedge makes an almost impenetrable rampart. Within the fortress a sentry was posted in an elevated position; the sign of danger or of a threatening attack was given by drums. When the wind was favourable they challenged the enemy by flying banners and dragon-like things of many colours in his direction, but a war of this kind often ends without bloodshed.

Traces of an international law, which has in view the mitigation of even this kind of war, may be recognised in the fact that so long as their patience holds out both sides spare the adversaries' fruit trees. On the other hand, we find no trace of any idea that it is more honourable to win in open fight than by means of cunning and ruse, and accordingly there are no limits to the artifices which may be employed in war. The rage of the victors often spares neither women nor children, and in this respect the greatest atrocities have been committed. Even Fiji has its legend of the chief's leap, - a fugitive chief is said to have thrown himself in desperation from a rock in the island of Wakaia.

Sea-Fights

The objection of the Polynesians to action in the open is marked also in the little use which they make of their boats in actual sea fighting. The famous war canoes served mainly for transporting the warriors, and aquatic engagements only took place when hostile war-canoes met accidentally. The method was to upset the opponents' canoe, which rendered it easy to club to death the helpless swimming crew.