Update on Weapons & Warriors

Just wanted you guys to know that I updated the post on the now Hawaiian Leiomano. I originally posted it under the Māori section because last year I had a theme to each group of posts. This year I'm tossing the themes to the wind and just posting about whatever weapons tickle my fancy; like the Scottish Claymore, and a few others. Several of my favorite weapons belong to cultures that really didn't have anything unique or original besides that one weapon. Like the Claymore. So I had skipped many of my favorites in favor of those cultures that had a large variety of unusual weapons. So long story short, after a comment on the Leiomano, I went back and researched the weapon from a Hawaiian perspective instead of forcing it into the Māori arsenal. I have to admit, I think the post is much better now. So now I'll get back to editing the Claymore post and get it up sometime this week. Hope everyone is having a great year so far.

Here is the link to the updated Leiomano post, which is also moved under the Hawaiians on the Weapons & Warriors page. 
 

Weapons & Warriors: The Leiomano of the Hawaiians

I first saw this bad boy on The Deadliest Warrior  TV series and I instantly fell in love with it. It resembles the Hungry Wood of the Aztecs, but it is not as razor sharp or durable. It is also not long and flat, but the weight of it and the jagged sharp teeth are just as deadly. It is scary enough to look at, but when you realize the sharp edges are real shark teeth it adds to the fear.

According to The Deadliest Warrior, the Māori were known to use this weapon, but the Leiomano was more of a Hawaiian weapon and the name Leiomano is Hawaiian. Hawaiians are more known for using it, but the simplicity and abundant resources available to make these clubs made it a possibility for Māori to either create their own or take one from an island north of New Zealand. There are many different kinds of Leiomano. The Hawaiians made fat paddle like versions to long and thin versions that resembled the Aztec Macuahuitl.

On The Deadliest Warrior they referred to the Leiomano as simply the Shark-tooth Club. After some researching, I found that many Polynesian islanders made use shark tooth weapons as well. It wasn't just a Hawaiian weapon, although its first designed versions are from Hawaii. I don't know if the Māori somehow acquired the design from interactions from Hawaiians or if they eventually came up with it on their own.