In North America, the throwing stick was used for hunting rabbits by the Hopi tribe, the Zuni tribe of Arizona and the Gabrielino tribe of California.












































Rabbit throwing sticks were used in a holy way by the Hopi tribe:
 
The traditional land of the Hopi tribe is located in the north-east part of Arizona in a region called Tusayan, where the ruins of their villages called pueblos can be found at the top of the mesas (an elevated area of land with a flat top and steep cliffs sides).
In this dry but temperate climate, the Hopi tribe cultivated corn, beans, squash, pumpkins, sunflower and cotton. Sheep herding was one of their main activity. Hunting was ceremonial and throwing sticks were used for rabbits hunting so they would not draw blood. Before these sacred hunts dedicated to the Sun God began, ceremonial dances were organized during which the dancers brandished the throwing sticks in some cases.



Ceremonial stick used during the dances dedicated to the Sun God before the rabbit hunt. This stick shows a square section that would render it unfit to fly but symbolically represents a hunting throwing stick since it is very short and angled in a similar way. The small attached bag probably contains ceremonial components.






















The throwing stick eventually spread north to Canada where it evolved in a kind of hatchet, then south to Mexico where it was used for jackrabbit hunting. It was considered the weapon of Gods.

The throwing stick can occasionally be found in South America, like in Brazil, and was used by witch doctors as a prop.

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