In the original spiritual cosmos of the Polynesians, on the other hand, the notched abstract codes had the highest significance. For example, the triangles on the striking side of the Herrnhut “paddle war club” (between the notched rhombuses) were read by the Tongans as sacred birds – as feathered gods. These triangles/birds identified the owner of such a paddle war club as a descendant of divine ancestors, as a high-ranking aristocrat.
In battle, a warlord with such a club could count on the support of his ancestors, on their divine energy – mana. A small bundle of sacred red feathers served as a medium for invoking the ancestors. These were “consecrated” by a priest in conversation with the gods before battle, but also before important ceremonies, and attached to the upper end of the handle of the “paddle war club.”
It is unlikely that the Tongans would have offered such high-quality weapons in exchange – even for nails and axes– from the British. It is more likely that these high-quality items were presented to James Cook and his officers at a ceremonial gathering in the Talanoa, as a gift from high-ranking Tongan nobles.