AMERINDIAN & CULTURAL ANTHROPOLOGY
 INDIAN GAMES

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 (References to MacFarlan, Allan and Paulette)

RUNNING AND RELAY GAMES

FISH TRAP:
 

One to three players are chosen to be "Fish."  The remainder of the group join hands to form a "net."  The Fish run in the designated area, and the "Net" attempts to form a complete circle around one or more of the fish.  The Net may not touch nor trip the Fish.  (Macfarlan p 23)

Two teams of approximately equal total weight line up on opposite ends of the field.  At the signal, each attempts to run at a moderate pace to the opposite end of the field.  They may not touch another player, nor interfere physically with another player.  They may dart and dodge so as to slow the opposing teams players.  The team with all their players across the field first wins.

The players are joined in pairs by strips of cloth tied around their inside ankles.  (Some tribes also tied a strip at the knee.)  A game of poison style tag is played.  In this, an initial pair is called it.  Each pair they touch is also it and the number of it's accumulates till all are it.  The game may be played that any tag poisons the tagged pair, or both players of a team must each touch one of the players for that pair to become poisoned.  Obviously, the last pair to be caught, becomes the first it for the next round.  (Macfarlan p 24)

Three equal number teams are assigned.  They are gathered in lines all near the Chief.  The furthest player out on each line carries a feather (wand, stick, baton).  At the first signal, each team goes out in a straight line, leaving a player at every 25 yards. The teams radiate from the Chief in such direction that he can see all three teams at once. (Thus the name lancehead.)   When all the players are out, and the end players are equal distance from the Chief,  the Chief blows the start whistle.  The feather is relayed back to the Chief.  The first team with their feather to the Chief wins.  (Macfarlan p 34)

CROSS COUNTRY RELAY:
 

(To be played only if time is not an element, and a return time must be set before the game starts.)  The Chief shouts, "To the sun shall you race before it leaves us to make place for the moon!"  At this signal, every player races cross country to the west.  Nothing stops the dash except sheer exhaustion (or in the modern game, the return time preset by the Chief).  The player who ran the farthest wins.  (Macfarlan p. 27)

CRAB RACE:
 

The players line up on a start line, and race to a finish line about 40 ft away.  On the start signal, they drop to their hands and knees and move sideways to the finish line.  In advanced games, they must return in the same manner, facing the same way so that the opposite leg and arm lead. (Macfarlan p 45)

This race is played with each team (of from 1 to 20 players) having their own ball.  The balls for the different teams must be the same kind of ball.  (A soccer ball works well.)  The object is to propel, by kicking only, the ball over a preset course.  (The original length of the course varied from 1 to 40 miles.)  The team with their ball over the finish line first, wins.  (Note:  The Pima had many runners who kicked the ball 4 miles in 30 minutes.  The Zuni ran a kickball race of 40 miles in six hours!) Modern players perhaps should start with distances of a quarter to a half mile.  (Macfarlan p 51)

HUNTING, STALKING, AND WARFARE GAMES

PEBBLE PATTERNS:
 

Approximately thirty pebbles of varying size, shape and color are arranged on the table while the contestants are not observing (backs turned, or elsewhere).  The contestants have one to two minutes (depending on the difficulty of the pattern) to observe the pattern of the pebbles.  The Chief then gathers the pebbles into one pile.  The Warriors have up to three minutes to reproduce the pattern previously laid out by the leader.  (Note, it helps if the Chief has previously made several charts of patterns into which he places the pebbles.  This way he has a check other than his memory.)  (Note, The Warriors may play singly, or as a team at the pleasure of the Chief.)  Macfarlan p 65)

The players sit in a circle.  The Chief chooses two (or then they be chosen by lot.) to start the game.  One of the players, the Rattler, carries a small box with a pebble inside (the rattle).  The other player, the Hunter, is blindfolded.  The Rattler must rattle the box audibly every two to four seconds, and move slowly around the ring.  The Hunter attempts to follow and tag the Rattler.  Once the Hunter tags the Rattler, he becomes the Rattler, and another Hunter is appointed.  If, in a preset period of time (e.g. three minutes) the Hunter has not tagged the Rattler, another Hunter is selected to hunt the same Rattler.  (Macfarlan p 70)

One of the players is chosen to be the Fire Tender.  He is blindfolded and kneels beside three sticks.  The remainder of the players, Gatherers, are in a circle around the Fire Tender and his sticks.  They, is turn, attempt to steal a stick from the Fire Tender.  Any ruse, other than a stick or pole, may be used.  The Gatherer may not violently rush the Fire Tender, as the contest is of stealth matched against keen ears.  Each Gatherer has one minute to steal a stick, before the turn passes to the next player.  Once the Fire Tender has lost his three sticks, the last Gatherer to steal, becomes the next Fire Tender, and he who was Fire Tender, become a Gatherer.  (In advanced games, there may be two or more Gatherers active at one time.  (Macfarlan  p 72)

One of the players is chosen to be the Chief.  The others, Warriors, sit in a circle around the Chief.  At their turn, they attempt, by stealth, to  get close enough to the Chief to count coup upon him (i.e. touch him lightly upon the shoulders.).   If the Chief detects a Warrior, he points at him and says "There!"  The Warrior so detected is replaced by the Warrior whose turn is next.  If the Chief has coup counted on him, the coup counter replaces the Chief, and the Chief joins the circle of Warriors.  (Macfarlan p 75)

Two lines are drawn on the ground about three feet apart.  Ten pebbles are placed about three inches apart on each line.  (total of twenty pebbles).  The player squats between the two lines and takes a deep breath.  On the signal, "Go", the player begins to recite the word "Tillikum" over and over again without drawing a breath.  At the same time, he is moving each pebble, one at a time, from one line to the other, using only one hand.  When all the pebbles have been moved, he starts over again and goes on til he is unable to repeat "Tillikum."  His score is the number of pebbles moved.  By drawing several sets of lines and having more than one judge, several may play at once, rather than having to wait their turn.  (Macfarlan p 81)

Each player or team is given 8 large pebbles and 8 smaller pebbles (all of somewhat varying size).  A constellation name is given and a start signal.  The first player (or team) to properly form the constellation, with the magnitude of the various starts properly represented by the size of the pebbles, wins.  (Macfarlan p 83)

A Chief stands about forty paces from the group.  Each player in turn is stationed facing the Chief.  The player is then blindfolded and asked to walk directly to the Chief.   When the blindfolded player feels he is close to the Chief, he removes his blindfold.    If the group is small, and enough blindfolds present, he may remain there til all have walked.  If the group is large, or enough blindfolds are not present, he should return to the group.  (Macfarlan p 85)

Two teams stand on parallel lines about 60 feet apart.  The object is for any player of either side to touch a hand of any player on the opposing team and dodge back safely to his base (behind his team's line).  Upon touching an opponent's hand, the player gives a whoop.  The team whose hand was touched attempts to catch that player before he returns to his base.  If he is caught, he is out and waits --as a Captive of War --behind his opponents team for the next round.  The next round could begin when all of one side was caught, or after a predetermined time period.)  (Notes:  The player touched need not be waiting behind his line.  Any number of players may be out from base on either team at the same time.)
(Macfarlan p 89)

(A fun game for good swimmers in very clear water with a lifeguard.)  The Fisherman throws a lightly weighted rope, with a bowline loop on the end, into clear, deep water.  The other players are "Fish."  In turn, each of the fish put the bowline loop over their shoulder and take their turn being played by the fisherman as he attempts to reel them in.  (Macfarlan p 97)

A swift runner is appointed as the "Game" (buffalo, deer, mountain lion, rabbit etc.).  This "Game" is given a ten pace head start.  The other players give chase in order to try to strike him on any part of his body.  The animal can strike back, and any Hunter so struck is out of the game.  (The game can be played as a challenge game with a skillful runner challenging another to catch him in a limited area (a circle usually 50 to 100 feet in diameter).  (Macfarlan p 100)

BOWL CATCH:
 

(One of the hundreds of dice games played and betted upon, by the Indians.)  Six objects, so marked as to make one side identifiable from the other (and also in some tribes from each other), are placed in a bowl.  The player strikes the bottom of the bowl so that the objects rise up out of the bowl over his head.  He then catches them in the bowl as they fall.  Only die in the bowl at the conclusion count.  His score is determined by the number in the bowl with the marked side up.  (Macfarlan 105)

Much the same as the game Bowl Catch, except that the game is played in pairs, with one player catching the toss from the other player.  Usually played seated.  (Macfarlan p 106)

Each player has an ear of corn, marked so as to be identified as his.  The players lay on their backs, with bare feet, side by side.  The corncob is placed between the big toe and the second toe.  At the command, the foot is raised (only the foot and leg and buttocks, nothing above the waist may leave the ground) and the corncob is thrown over his head as far as possible.  The winner is he whose corncob goes the farthest.  (The game may be played also tossing the corncob in the opposite direction, or away from the head.) (Macfarlan p 130)

OKOTOKS:
 

From a line, each player in turn takes the ball (Soccer or Volley or Basket) and throws it between his legs as far as possible.  The winner is he who throws the ball the farthest.  (This may be played the best of three throws or the total distance of three throws.)  (Macfarlan 143)

From a line, each player in turn take the ball (soccer, volley, or basket) and throws it between his legs for height.  The winner is he who throws the ball the highest.
(Macfarlan p 144)

TOUCH AND GO:
 

The players line up in the form of a equal arm cross.  The players on two adjacent arms are on the same team, the other two arms are the other team.  At the ends of the cross are markers set on the ground.  At the start signal, the inside runner on one arm of each team, runs round the markers and tags the inside runner on the other arm belonging to his team.  That player runs back around the markers to the place vacated by the first runner, in the process he touches the second player on that arm, who then changes places with the second player on the other arm.  This continues til all players have changed places.  The team to have all its players change places first wins.  (Macfarlan p. 154)

Two or more circles of equal number of players are formed.  The circles then race, maintaining their circle formation to a finish line (about 100 yards).  It is not fair to flatten out the circle to two lines.  (This is a rough game, with many falls.)  Macfarlan p 156)

This is better known by its English name of "Follow the Leader."  The Indians often involved skill contests, obstacles, dance steps, and bird, animal or plant imitations. (Macfarlan p 165)

SKILL GAMES

BEAVER LODGE:
 

Another game better known by its English name of "Jack Straws."  The Indians played with up to a hundred (average being 30) reeds, heavy grass or straight twigs.  They used either one hand's thumb and forefinger, or a two straight sticks about 15 inches long.  Sometimes they played on separate piles, sometimes on the same large pile.  (Macfarlan p 179)

KNOTTY:
 

(One of the innumerable guessing or "moccasin games")  Each player has a length of cord or throng about 18 inches long.  The players sit opposite each other.  One of the players ties behind his back zero to four knots in his cord.  The other player watching him, guesses how many knots are tied in the cord.  Each player ties in turn.  (It may be played in teams, with each player on each team having a turn at knotting and guessing as a round.)

SIT POLE PULL:
 

A stout pole about 10 feet long and 1-2 inches in diameter is laid on the ground.  The two teams (one to six players) sit at opposite ends facing each other. Each player sits between the legs of the player behind him.  Remaining seated, they attempt to pull the other team toward themselves.  The pulling may be done with only right, or only left, or both hands as directed for the pull.  The pulling to done with the pole at waist level.  (Macfarlan p 217)

Two teams line up in vertical file, with the front two players of about equal size, facing each other.  Each player going on back should be about equal weight with the same number player back on the opposing team.  Each front player forms a circle with his arms and hands by grasping left to his right hand with fingers interlocked.   The circle made by each of these two front players is interlocked with the other front player's circle, hands of one against the hands of the other.  The challengers now back away from each other attempting to pull the others circle apart, so their circles become through strain, oval.  At fifteen second intervals the next of players grasps the waists of the players in front and joins in the pull.  This continues until the circle is broken and the front two players pulled apart.  (Macfarlan p 222)

BUFFALO HIDE:
 

A Ring is drawn on the ground, about 9 feet in diameter. (A piece of cloth will also work to mark the circle or space)   Two players of about equal weight enter the ring.  On the start signal, each attempts to push, shove, or otherwise force the other out of the circle.  If any portion of a player touches or passes outside the circle, he is the loser.  (Macfarlan p 223)

A ring is drawn on the ground (or a piece of cloth about 5 to 8 feet square).  The players join hands (each grabbing the others wrists.)  On the signal "pull" they attempt to force each other to touch or step inside the circle.  If a player touches the circle, steps inside the circle, or loses his grip on his neighbor, he is out and the others close up his spot, after he leaves.  (This may be a team event, with the players either or segments of the circle, or interspersed.)  (Macfarlan p 225)

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