Banshee Catcher

The banshee catcher is a bola used to subdue Pandoran wildlife but can also act as a tie-down.
Mastery of the banshee catcher is an indispensable skill for all Na'vi youth, who begin training with the device initially as a toy then more formally. A Na'vi will spend years developing the proper technique of the banshee catcher, first on tree limbs and then on the deer-like hexapede. Without proficient skill, a young hunter will fail the crucial rite of passage, Iknimaya. The catcher is crucial in this process as a young Na'vi must correctly snap the frond around the snout and eyes of the mountain banshee and quickly connect the queue between rider and animal. It is this temporary blinding of the animal that gives the lasso its name, meresh'ti cau'pla, which translates roughly into “nothing to see” or “nothing in sight to fear so don’t worry.”James Cameron's Avatar: An Activist Survival Guide - Page 142Pandorapedia - Banshee catcher article
An imprecise toss of the banshee catcher has led to injury or death of many young Na'vi at the hands of an angered banshee.
==Origins==
The banshee catcher was first developed by Taronyu, a Legendary member of the Kekunan Clan. He braided Razor Palm leaves into a tightly wound rope to fashion the rough lasso, and spent eight days studying an individual banshee. He was able to bond the banshee, and named it Rotalyu.https://www.cirquedusoleil.com/toruk/pandora?explore
==Materials and Construction==
The banshee catcher is made from the leaves of the razor palm tree. The sinuous and durable plant similar to the Terran palm frond, weighted at one end with a stone. The plant's sticky, hairlike underside helps fasten the bola to the animal. The edges of the frond are dulled to avoid cutting.
== Trivia ==
* The banshee catcher was previously named "meresh'ti cau'pla" in the Activist Survival Guide. The name no longer aligns with Na'vi's phonetics and alphabet.
==References==
de:Banshee Catcher
pl:Bola
ru:Бола для банши
Category:Na'vi culture
Category:Objects