Slinging.org Forum - Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam)

Pikåru

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Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam)
May 2^nd, 2012, 1:38pm

One of the signature weapons of the ancient Chamorro warrior besides the spear and machete-style club was the sling and slingstone, Acho' Atupat.

The slings were made of Pandanus or Coconut fiber and were often passed from father to son or from mother to son.

The stones were sharpened on both ends and usually made from either limestone, basalt or fire-hardened clay.

I have been working with Jute, Sisal, Coconut and Pandanus fibers to create replicas of these ancient weapons and maintain the spirit of the craft and skill. The style of the slings are consistent with artifacts and illustrations from various collections. The preferred materials to make the slings are Pandanus and Coconut however Jute and Sisal make fine and functional reproductions.

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Acho_Atupat_Chamorro_1a.jpg

I sling. Therefore I am.
Tano' Hu I Islan Guahan.
http://itanohu.blogspot.com

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Pikåru Interfector Viris Spurii Experience teaches only the teachable... Posts: 1358 Gender:	Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam) Reply #1 - May 2^nd, 2012, 1:39pm Jute
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Pikåru Interfector Viris Spurii Experience teaches only the teachable... Posts: 1358 Gender:	Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam) Reply #2 - May 2^nd, 2012, 1:40pm Jute
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Pikåru Interfector Viris Spurii Experience teaches only the teachable... Posts: 1358 Gender:	Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam) Reply #3 - May 2^nd, 2012, 1:41pm
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Pikåru Interfector Viris Spurii Experience teaches only the teachable... Posts: 1358 Gender:	Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam) Reply #4 - May 2^nd, 2012, 1:42pm Coconut
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Pikåru Interfector Viris Spurii Experience teaches only the teachable... Posts: 1358 Gender:	Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam) Reply #5 - May 2^nd, 2012, 1:43pm Pandanus
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benkolmer Descens Stone re-allocation specialist. Posts: 367 Gender:	Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam) Reply #6 - May 2^nd, 2012, 6:16pm Those are really neat!
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Atlatlista

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Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam)
Reply #7 - May 2^nd, 2012, 7:04pm

Those are fantastic slings, Pikaru. If you ever get the chance to post a tutorial, I would absolutely love to see it. Ethnographic slings are so awesome, and it's nice to see things other than the Andean and Tibetan stuff I've been focusing on of late.

Incidentally, do you know the traditional method for polishing and sharpening the stones? The one you have featured with your slings is gorgeous and I would love to learn how to make one.

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bigkahuna Interfector Viris Spurii Past Moderator Posts: 3682 Gender:	Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam) Reply #8 - May 2^nd, 2012, 9:55pm Wow Pikaru, those slings are beautiful. Good job!
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Bill Skinner Slinging.org Moderator Forum Moderator Slinging Rocks! Posts: 1354	Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam) Reply #9 - May 2^nd, 2012, 10:12pm I made one and gave it to Mas. It is greenstone and I pecked and ground it. PM him, maybe he'll post another picture.
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wanderer Interfector Viris Spurii Posts: 1264 Gender:	Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam) Reply #10 - May 3^rd, 2012, 3:43am Those are beautifully done, Pikaru. I had no idea that they were such valued items as to be passed down through families. What kind of length are these?
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Pikåru

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Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam)
Reply #11 - May 3^rd, 2012, 10:48am

Quote from Atlatlista on May 2^nd, 2012, 7:04pm:

Those are fantastic slings, Pikaru. If you ever get the chance to post a tutorial, I would absolutely love to see it. Ethnographic slings are so awesome, and it's nice to see things other than the Andean and Tibetan stuff I've been focusing on of late.

Incidentally, do you know the traditional method for polishing and sharpening the stones? The one you have featured with your slings is gorgeous and I would love to learn how to make one.

I have not tinkered with stones much yet. The guys I know who make them, like the blue coral one I have use electric grinders and polishers. As far as ancient methods I can only guess stone to stone using water as a lubricant and to carry away the sediment as you worked the stone. I've seen metate-like stones with groves cut into them that are said to have been used to form the stones but I don't have any pictures to post. Thank you.

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I sling. Therefore I am.
Tano' Hu I Islan Guahan.
http://itanohu.blogspot.com

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Pikåru

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Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam)
Reply #12 - May 3^rd, 2012, 10:59am

Quote from wanderer on May 3^rd, 2012, 3:43am:

Those are beautifully done, Pikaru.

I had no idea that they were such valued items as to be passed down through families. What kind of length are these?

Most of these measure between 24-32 inches long from the center of the pouch to the end of the finger loop. I usually don't measure as I braid, I just braid and 'eyeball' it as I go. My reference pieces vary greatly in length and style.
I'm not trying to get pinpoint historically accurate in the reproductions as much as I want to maintain the general look and spirit. Even the museum pieces are sometimes modern reproductions made by local craftsmen and pieces from collections that I've seen don't seem to date back to antiquity, maybe 1920 or so.
I am not a weaver and don't have access now to native weavers willing to share thier craft and no native materials that I can go out and gather here in Colorado so materials like pandanus and good coconut fiber are hard to come by right now.
Overall it's a learning process and gives me a creative outlet without requiring a lot of room or tooling to do.

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« Last Edit: May 3^rd, 2012, 12:34pm by Pikåru »

I sling. Therefore I am.
Tano' Hu I Islan Guahan.
http://itanohu.blogspot.com

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Pikåru

Interfector Viris Spurii

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Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam)
Reply #13 - May 3^rd, 2012, 11:07am

Quote from wanderer on May 3^rd, 2012, 3:43am:

Those are beautifully done, Pikaru.

I had no idea that they were such valued items as to be passed down through families. What kind of length are these?

PS: This was a matriarchal society by the way. Children belongned to the mother and often times whatever was to be passed down was passed down through the mother more than through the father.

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I sling. Therefore I am.
Tano' Hu I Islan Guahan.
http://itanohu.blogspot.com

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wanderer Interfector Viris Spurii Posts: 1264 Gender:	Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam) Reply #14 - May 4^th, 2012, 1:29am Quote from Pikaru on May 3^rd, 2012, 11:07am: PS: This was a matriarchal society by the way. Children belongned to the mother and often times whatever was to be passed down was passed down through the mother more than through the father. Thanks for the interesting information.
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