What on earth is this (or maybe where on earth is it from)?

It looks like a jawbone, or is made to suggest a jawbone. Is the covering rawhide or leather? It looks like it was wet when it covered the bone, and dried tight around it.
It doesn't seem to be a utensil. I would guess something Shamanic, and it has a Native American look.

 

It looks like regular leather, probably deerskin. And it would have been wrapped wet and stitched before it dried.
Thanks for the memory jolt @i need help, I remember now that these were indeed weapons.

 

Yes, it represents a "warclub" made from a donkey or horse jawbone or something similar; most such items are fantasy items, and are not actually native-made. I couldn't say whether this is authentic, or whether there is any historical evidence that such things were ever actually made or used by native tribes, because the Plains Tribes (which is the area it would supposedly represent) are a bit out of my areas of expertise.

 

So most likely a tourist item with dubious authenticity???

 

I'm leaning towards fantasy piece. If meant for actual use they would probably have attached a hefty rock to the business end.

 

I would think they were doing all right with the sturdy weapons they had, I can't see this adding anything to that. But I have seen them before, described as weapons.
The Frisco museum doesn't seem to have a real attribution for theirs, and it looks a bit too fancy to be traditional. But I could be wrong, of course.

 

Yes, and I wouldn't necessarily trust a museum in North Carolina, which is where the Frisco Museum is located, to make accurate attributions for Plains items.
The other link claims theirs is made by a Navajo; but a) I've never heard of the Navajo using such things, b) the seller doesn't make any claim that it is "authentic," or represents anything traditionally used by Navajo or other tribes; other than a Navajo made it.
The painted designs don't look "right" to me, but again, I'm not claiming any expertise in this area; and logic has misled me - rarely, of course - in the past.
There certainly are a lot of websites selling such items (google "jawbone war club" https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=jawbone+war+club&FORM=HDRSC2); some actually made by Native Americans, others not; but none seem to address the question of whether such items were ever actually used, or whether there are genuine old examples around.
This does have a more home-made appearance than many one sees online, could be a re-enactor rather than one of the commercial sellers, perhaps. Or be centuries old, what do I know.

 

My turn...
I believe this to be a buffalo jaw bone dance wand....sinew sewn....with some age to it.
Maybe even for pow wow use.....possible sale item..

The ones labeled war club have the killing edge sharpened or at least uncovered.

 

Sounds reasonable to me.
(Your computer working again?)

 

it seems to be.......so far so good......but i'm having email problems....

 

Shades of Samson (interesting parallel imagery):

Judges 15:17
And he found a new jawbone of an ass, and put forth his hand, and took it, and slew a thousand men therewith.

And Samson said, With the jawbone of an ass, heaps upon heaps, with the jaw of an ass have I slain a thousand men.

And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking, that he cast away the jawbone out of his hand, and called that place Ramathlehi.

 

so......don't look a gift ass in the mouth........??

 

Certainly not if you're in Ramathlehi.

The sinew could be that synthetic sinew btw. I've used it on leather as well.

 

I've used waxed linen before.....but I think what I'm seeing here is natural....
it's hand sewn...the age cracks in the leather look authentic...& the bone looks like it has natural age...