Mystery Stick Objects

[Mantrik]

Another set of objects to attract the curious.
Two are for pointing out spiritually, two are for casting divinely.

See if you can guess ............ without looking at the source of the pics.

[Lobsang Chojor]

Seen as no one has guessed, I'm curious what are they? And which has each purpose?

[amanitamusc]

Ceremonial swords .

[Fortyeightvows]

I think the four items in the last picture are for divination. If they are what I think then they are probably pretty old. These days they are usually painted red.

Maybe the item in the middle picture is just one of a set?

[Mantrik]

Some good guesses
The top two are, for want of a better term, wands used by shamans of the Red Yao (Dzao) tribe in North Vietnam.
They are used to direct energy, heal,send away harmful spirits, etc.
I think the inscription on one includes 'death' so may be linked to ancestor spirits.
They are similar to 'court sticks' carried to denote authority.

The others are divination 'chops' from the same tribe.
A pair of the sticks is cast to the ground.
How they land is interpreted as the answer to the question asked.

They were brought back by travellers who visited the tribe some years ago.
Part of my collection, picked up from the elderly couple's antique market stall. It occasionally pops up locally when they want to fund their next trip.

[Fortyeightvows]

The others are divination 'chops' from the same tribe.
A pair of the sticks is cast to the ground.
How they land is interpreted as the answer to the question asked.

In the picture they are both saying no.

[Mantrik]

The others are divination 'chops' from the same tribe.
A pair of the sticks is cast to the ground.
How they land is interpreted as the answer to the question asked.

In the picture they are both saying no.

Just the way I arranged them for the pic.

I'd like to find out more about the divination method, though, if you have a link.

[Fortyeightvows]

What's there to know? Almost any temple will have a set. Both landing flat like the picture is the hand coming down on a table.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiaobei

[Mantrik]

What's there to know? Almost any temple will have a set. Both landing flat like the picture is the hand coming down on a table.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jiaobei

Thank you. I am unfamiliar with them so your answer is very helpful.