A tomahawk is a type of single-handed axe used by the many Indigenous peoples and nations of North America. It traditionally resembles a hatchet with a straight shaft. Tomahawks were general-purpose tools used by Native Americans and tomahawk steak black angus the European colonials with whom they traded, and often employed as a hand-to-hand weapon.

The Algonquian people created the tomahawk. Before Europeans came to the continent, Native Americans would use stones, sharpened by a process of knapping and pecking, attached to wooden handles, secured with strips of rawhide. Native Americans created a tomahawk’s poll, the side opposite the blade, which consisted of a hammer, spike or a pipe. These became known as pipe tomahawks, which consisted of a bowl on the poll and a hollowed out shaft. These were created by European and American artisans for trade and diplomatic gifts for the tribes.

The tomahawk’s original designs were fitted with heads of bladed or rounded stone or deer antler. In colonial French territory, a different tomahawk design, closer to the ancient European francisca, was in use by French settlers and local peoples. Tomahawks are useful in camping and bushcraft scenarios. They are mostly used as an alternative to a hatchet, as they are generally lighter and slimmer than hatchets. They often contain other tools in addition to the axe head, such as spikes or hammers.

Modern tomahawks were used by selected units of the US armed forces during the Vietnam War and are referred to as “Vietnam tomahawks”. Many of these modern tomahawks are made of drop forged, differentially heat treated, alloy steel. The differential heat treatment allows for the chopping portion and the spike to be harder than the middle section, allowing for a shock-resistant body with a durable temper. Tomahawk throwing is a popular sport among American and Canadian historical reenactment groups, and new martial arts such as Okichitaw have begun to revive tomahawk fighting techniques used during the colonial era. Today, there are many events that host tomahawk throwing competitions.