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A boomerang is a curved wooden device which is thrown. A boomerang spins as it flies through the air, and can travel long distances. Returning boomerangs are designed to, when thrown correctly, fly a curved path, or 'orbit', to return to the person who threw it.
'To boomerang' has entered English language, meaning akin to 'backfire' as in: "this plan could very well boomerang on us".
Boomerang-like devices, including throwing sticks, have been used all over the world for hunting, religious and recreational activities. Their origin is still not fully clear. Research has shown that ancient tribes in Europe used special throwing axes. Also, in ancient Egypt a special type of stick was exclusively used by the pharaohs for hunting birds. However, the world famous 'country of the boomerang' is Australia, where the Australian Aborigines have used both returning and non-returning types of boomerangs for thousands of years.
Today, boomerangs are often used in the sport of 'boomeranging'. There are different types of throwing contests—speed, accuracy of return, maximum time aloft, endurance (number of catches in 5 minutes of throwing), trick catch and distance. The modern sport boomerang—sometimes referred to as just 'boom'— or 'rang', is made of Finnish hardwood, plywood, plastic or composite materials and comes in many different shapes and colors. Most sport boomerangs weigh less than 100 grams, with maximum time aloft boomerangs often under 25 grams.
In international competition, a world cup is held every even year, with the United States and Germany being the world team leaders. World records are recorded by the metres after which the boomerang flew back accurately to the thrower.
Returning boomerangs consist of two, or more arms or wings, connected at an angle. Each wing is shaped as an airfoil, air travels faster over one surface of an airfoil than the other, as it follows the longer path, thus creating lift, along what is roughly a plane which intersects the airfoil at a near right angle along the long axis of the wing.
These wings are set so that the lift created by each wing opposes the lift of the other, but at an angle such that the flight pattern is constantly shifted as the forces of lift, drag, speed, rotational inertia etc. 'attempt' to reach equilibrium, see Boomerang engineer.
This is what makes the boomerang 'return gracefully to the hurler, fluttering to a stop in his hand'... when thrown correctly. This is also what makes the boomerang 'rocket straight up into the air before plunging to it's shattered doom'... when thrown incorrectly.
Prominent boomerang designer/builders include Bunny Burwell and Rusty Harding.
"Remember, you are the target!" a traditional warning to beginning hurlers.
A Kylie is a non-returning form of boomerang used for hunting animals. Instead of following a curved flight path, it flies in a straight line from the thrower. Due to its curved shape it can travel very long distances while spinning.
Some terms used by boomerang enthusiasts to describe themselves include hurler and boomerangianiac.
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