This is both a political question in the boomerang world, a historical question, and a question of conflicting popular modern word usage in various regions of the world. As a result it's extremely difficult to communicate clearly on this topic.

In terms of popular usage, in Australia all flying sticks are generally called boomerangs. In fact this usage is so universal that many people around the world call all flying sticks boomerangs, regardless of where they originated, whether Egypt, India, etc....

The word boomerang is of Aboriginal origin and etymologically speaking, when the word boomerang first entered the English language, boomerangs were known as hunting sticks that did not return to the thrower. See the next question for more on this fact.

From a modern perspective one could say that the straight flying throwstick is the father of the modern returning sport boomerang. Historically, returning boomerangs were only used in some portions of Australia, mainly for amusement, distraction, or as a decoy for hunting, but straight flying boomerangs/throwsticks were used much more extensively, including on other continents.

Historically, returning boomerangs were generally lighter in weight and they were designed to fly a curved flight path and return to where they were thrown from. Straight flying boomerangs, by contrast, were generally heavier in weight and were designed to fly straight for long distances in order to take game through the delivery of a hard blow.

Returning boomerangs could also be used in hunting but not generally as an impact weapon but more as a distraction. Thus the term "hunting boomerang" is unclear. Despite this, the term "hunting boomerang" has become the popular term in modern usage for straight flying boomerangs. Returning boomerang hunting tactics were rare historically and even more rare today. The most effective way to hunt with a stick is with the straight flying variety.

This whole conversation becomes even more confusing when one thinks about what a throwstick is, historically. "Throwsticks" did not all fly, and some were used to throw spears, which are sticks themselves.... So the term throwstick is not necessarily the best term to describe straight flying hunting sticks either, although it does apply. We have chosen to use this term for the name of our company, despite this issue.

To many people in modern usage, the term "boomerang" tends to connotate the idea that the stick should return. The old joke goes, "What is a boomerang that doesn't come back?" Answer, "A stick." Most people are unaware that straight flying sticks even existed, let alone that they were the original boomerangs.

Then there is the term "kylie", which is the popular word used among sport boomerang throwers to differentiate straight flying sticks, whether those be intended for hunting or not. Historically, this term and other forms of it were the most popular Aboriginal words used to describe various flying sticks that returned or didn't. The term did not differentiate, when the various regions it was used in are taken into account. This is a contrast with modern popular usage.

This discussion is a political one as much as a historical one and the questions are important and the perspectives all well meaning. I was mis-informed about this topic myself for many years and popularized the idea that throwsticks are not boomerangs. I have since done more in depth historical research and found out I was wrong.

Another aspect of this discussion is that while some sticks were basically designed with features which would cause it to return and some designed with features designed to make it fly straight, neither goal was always achieved flawlessly. Straight flying sticks in some regions were more crude than others and would swerve off course from straight flight. Some returning sticks did not fully return. In tribal warfare this unpredictability was an advantage, creating multiple lines of attack and unpredictable flight paths which overwhelmed the opponents and brought attacks off line from the attacker (flanking attacks). For hunting, straight flights are best for hitting animal targets. Against human targets a straight flying stick can be dodged at range since it may take several seconds from throw to impact....

Regardless of etymology and the overlap of everything being discussed, it is extremely important to differentiate between modern sport boomerangs which safely return to the thrower and are not dangerous weapons, and the weaponized origin of all straight flying sticks and some returning sticks. In our modern age the distinctions are fully opened up and the overlap is gone.

It's also just as important to differentiate also between straight flying sticks which are not weapons and those which are. Light weight, thin kylies have been used to play "kylie golf" at modern disc golf courses since the early 1990's. These types of kylies are not weapons and are designed to be relatively safe. Contrast this with thick, heavy sticks used for hunting. The different should be clear. It's the weight of the stick and not the type of flight that differentiates a weapon from a toy.

Regardless of this, any thrown object, whether a weapon or a toy, even if light in weight can cause an injury to an eye, at the very least, and care must be taken with all thrown objects, whether boomerangs, kylies, hunting sticks, discs, baseballs, etc....

See the next question for in depth information about the etymology of the term "boomerang," which forms the basis of the stance that Throwsticks.com takes towards this controversial issue.