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Research topic:bull-roarer

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bull-roarer

Britannica Concise Encyclopedia

Flat piece of wood, several inches to a foot in length, fastened at one end to a string, by which it is swung around in the air to produce a whirring or howling sound likened to those of animals or spirits. It has been observed in Australia, the Americas, and other areas where indigenous societies survive. It may symbolize totemic ancestors, or it may be believed to cause or cure sickness, warn women and children away from men's sacred ceremonies, control the weather, or promote fertility in animals and crops.


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Related entries from encyclopedias, dictionaries, and thesauruses

bull-roarer
bull-roarer an instrument consisting of slit board...groups, the instrument is merely a toy. The bull-roarer is also important among the Australian...See matriarchy . Author not available, BULL-ROARER. , The Columbia Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition... Read more
bull roarer
bull roarer. See thunder stick . Read more
thunder stick
thunder stick, bull roarer, whizzer (Ger. Schwirrholz , ‘whirlingwood’; Fr. planchette ronflante , ‘roaring board’). Instr. in... Read more
bull
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Online videos

Midnight Oil - Bullroarer (audio only)

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