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Contrary to what the title of this tutorial might suggest, the Bullroarer, the Groaning Stick, and the Wolf-Scare are names, given by different cultures, for the same tool. Used by a staggering number of indigenous cultures all over the world for the conjuring of spirits and communing with a supreme being, this incredibly unique low-frequency “instrument” has a history deeply rooted in medicinal and spiritual practices. However, like many tools used in these ways, the Bullroarer served other purposes outside of ceremonial rituals.

As J.W. Powell describes in the Fifth Annual Report of the Bureau of Ethnology (1883-84), “One whizzer I examined was 9 inches long, one and three-fourths inches broad, and about a quarter of an inch thick in the thickest part (see illustration above). To it was attached a string about two feet long, by means of which the centrifugal motion was imparted to it. It is called by the Navajo tsin ndi’ni’, or groaning stick. It is used among many tribes of the southwest in their ceremonies. The Navajo chanters say that the sacred groaning stick may only be made of the wood of a pine tree which has been struck by lightning.”

While Bullroarer history is rich in a variety of ceremonial uses, there is no doubt it would have been used for survival as well. Historical writings are peppered with references of the Bullroarer serving as a long-distance communication device (made infamous in the movie Crocodile Dundee), a tribal alarm system, and a tool to flush or scare animals and birds for hunting. Regardless of use, it is a most intriguing primitive tool. In fact, the Bullroarer was utilized in completely unrelated primitive cultures all over the globe, which is a marvel in and of itself.

In this tutorial, we explore exactly how to make and use one.