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Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam) (Read 70957 times)
Pikåru
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Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam)
May 2nd, 2012 at 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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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 #1 - May 2nd, 2012 at 1:39pm
 
Jute
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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 #2 - May 2nd, 2012 at 1:40pm
 
Jute
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Pikåru
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Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam)
Reply #3 - May 2nd, 2012 at 1:41pm
 
Smiley
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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 #4 - May 2nd, 2012 at 1:42pm
 
Coconut
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Pikåru
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Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam)
Reply #5 - May 2nd, 2012 at 1:43pm
 
Pandanus
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benkolmer
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Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam)
Reply #6 - May 2nd, 2012 at 6:16pm
 
Those are really neat!
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Atlatlista
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Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam)
Reply #7 - May 2nd, 2012 at 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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Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam)
Reply #8 - May 2nd, 2012 at 9:55pm
 
Wow Pikaru, those slings are beautiful. Good job!
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Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam)
Reply #9 - May 2nd, 2012 at 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
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Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam)
Reply #10 - May 3rd, 2012 at 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 3rd, 2012 at 10:48am
 
Quote:
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 3rd, 2012 at 10:59am
 
wanderer wrote on May 3rd, 2012 at 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 3rd, 2012 at 12:34pm by Pikåru »  

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 #13 - May 3rd, 2012 at 11:07am
 
wanderer wrote on May 3rd, 2012 at 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
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Re: Acho' Atupat Chamorro Sling (Guam)
Reply #14 - May 4th, 2012 at 1:29am
 
Quote:
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.  Smiley
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