Ma'Staka

Ma'Stakas were pugil sticks used in a Klingon wedding. They were presented to all those traveling on the path to kal'Hyah except the groom. They were carried by the men until the end of the ceremony, at which time they were used to attack the bride and groom. The ritual dates back to the wedding of Kahless and Lukara when they were attacked by Molor's troops moments after they were wed. Attacking with the ma'Stakas were a symbolic attack only, and not meant to be lethal.

In 2374, a week after Federation forces retook Deep Space 9, Worf and Jadzia Dax decided to get married on the station. Worf invited his son, Alexander Rozhenko, General Martok, Captain Benjamin Sisko, Dr. Julian Bashir, and Chief Miles O'Brien to travel kal'Hyah. When they entered one of Quark's holosuites, Worf presented the others with the ma'Stakas. When the wedding had been temporarily canceled, Captain Sisko tossed his ma'Staka to Worf to keep Dr. Bashir and Chief O'Brien away from food at Quark's. At the conclusion of the wedding, after much pain and suffering on the path to kal'Hyah, Bashir and O'Brien were prepared to use the ma'Stakas as much as they could.