WAR SHIELDS, GOPE BOARDS, ARROW DEFLECTORS ETC

WAR SHIELDS

Men make the shields and are paid with food and pig when the piece is completed. In fighting, the shield is carried by an unarmed shield bearer who enters the field first as a scout.  When engaged in battle, the shield bearer is the tactician for the bowmen who follow him in single file.  He uses the shield to deflect arrows, sweeping away with a stick those that adhere

 GOPE BOARDS

Gope boards are elliptical in shape and incised with brightly colored abstract patterns. Warriors were entitled to have a gope board for each act of bravery and a board from the vanquished enemy's canoe held particular significance, transferring some of its previous owner's strength to the victor.

 ARROW DEFLECTORS

The PNG warrior crouches behind the lightweight shield holding it, watching the enemy. The man probably carries a bow and arrow rather than a heavy 10 foot spear.  During battle on a given signal, the shield, initially with colored motifs facing the enemy, is spun sideways or dropped by the shield handler and the armed man lets a arrow go and the shield again is rotated or picked up to resume its protective position.  The whole process takes a fraction of a second.