Native
American Ceremonial Sticks
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There are many types of sticks used in Native American ceremonies. The
hai detoi is a stick of madrona wood with feathers on one end and a flint
on the other - it is used by a Pomo (Northern California) shaman during healing
ceremonies. A hatcamuni is an Acoma Pueblo
prayer stick. It is made by the individual (or an individual's family member)
that is requesting healing. It is cut from a live willow or cedar, may be notched,
or painted and might have feathers attached to it. The
Zuni bundle up a group of prayer sticks, kaetcine, offer them up to the
spirits and then bury or deposit them in a prescribed location. Lakota
Horse Stick - To the Lakota and other Plains Indians,
the horse was a working partner that provided transportation when moving, and
a heroic companion on hunts and raids and in battle. When
a warrior lost a horse, he would honor the horse by making a horse stick. The
effigy would represent the likeness of the horse and be decorated with markings
and adornments that recounted the life and achievements of the horse. The
horse stick would then be carried by the warrior in dances to pay tribute to the
great horse before other tribal members, most notably those of the Horse Society.
By making and carrying the stick, it was hoped that the spirit of the horse would
follow the warrior in life and give him added strength and power. Like
othe ceremonial sticks, the horse stick is usually made of wood and decorated
with paint, leather, fur, feathers, beads and other items. | 
