Games have always been, and still are, an important part of the Haudenosaunee social life.
Team sports offer opportunities for communities to travel, socialize and meet
others of the confederacy.
Sports are an important part of traditional society, not only are they fun to play but many of
them teach the importance of physical strength, well-being, and team building. Athletic
prowess, sportsmanship, competitiveness, and spirituality are all things
intertwined with various sporting activities, games such as Lacrosse and others
emphasize the importance of strength of both the body and mind and of leadership and
responsibility to others.
Bone & Toggle
The bone and toggle game was used to teach young kids the art of awareness and
control, all skills needed to hunt as it helps develop hand-eye coordination. The bone
and toggle is made up of a wooden
stick, sinew, a couple of small cut,
BASEBALL
hollowed out bones and a circular
Native people were introduced to the game of baseball with the arrival of
piece of leather with a variety of
Europeans to North America. With the finding of the “New World” came the
sized holes made inside of it. One
introduction of formal education and Christianity to the Native population. As
end of the string is tied to the bota part, of early attempts for the intermittence and conversion of the Native
tom of the spear and the other end
people the playing of sports such as Baseball became another venue for
enhancing and demonstrating the skill and agility of the native people. For
is tied to the leather circle. The
many
Native children, exposure to baseball came with their relocation to off
bones are hollow in the center and
reservation, Government boarding schools. For non-Native administrators of
laced on the string between the
the boarding schools games such as baseball demonstrated the success of
stick and the leather to give weight.
their assimilationist techniques, but for Native children success in baseball
The object of this game is to spear
became a source of community and personal pride and freedom from the
the leather in the holes made as diliboarding school regime. Along with other mannerisms the Native people
gently and sufficiently and as many
learnt and brought back to their communities, baseball is one of the more
times as one can. The way to play
positive outlooks and skills the Native people developed. Since then commuthis game is to flip and flick the
nity baseball has been very popular in Native American communities.
It
has
been said that the Iroquois communities are the most known for travel.
leather piece by using your arm and
wrist while holding the stick upward. The Iroquois fielded teams that would travel to other Iroquois communities in
New York and Canada or play non-Native teams in surrounding towns. At
The player tries spearing at the
times,
non-Native players would join Native teams. (recorded as early as the
leather, trying to penetrate through
1900’s) It has been recorded that the level of play of these community teams
one of the different holes. Some
would be on par with today’s semi-professional teams.
players choose to add points to
each hole and playing to a maximum.
A more challenging version of this game is of the same design but, uses a single hollowed out bone piece (a bit bigger
then the pieces used as weights) Instead of the leather on the
end. The challenge comes with having only one small hole to
work with this time and the added weight makes the game
rain, snow consistency and the Thrower into account.
Snowsnakes are made in a variety of ways to suit the
Snowsnake conditions of the track. Snowsnakes are made from wood
and have a lead tip for balance. Mud cats (the 3ft version
of a Snow Snake) and Snow Snakes (which are about 7ft in
length) are usually carved out of North American
hardwoods such as Hickory, Oak, Maple,
June Berry and Apple.
Shiners—cavers, harvest the wood themselves after the
trees go dormant, starting with a pole that is a 1" square
block in diameter. Once the wood/limb is carved, sanded
and polished, always working with the grain to bring out
The game of Snowsnake dates back more than 500 years, the fastest speed, the “snake” is shellacked with a pointed
before the arrival of Europeans to North America.
pewter tip added. Historically, the tip would have been
Originally Snowsnake was a form of communication
fire hardened and burnished, but metal offers additional
between villages as one would attach a message of some
protection against damage.
kind before launching it down the track to the other
villages, making them aware of meetings and warnings.
The throwing of the "snow snakes" developed into a competitive sport during long winters when the long track was
not used for communication. The name "snow snake"
comes from the wiggling motion of the poles as they slide
down the icy track.
Some makers put a mark on the stick itself for good luck,
In turn, the snowsnake is thrown down a long, snow
strength and identity of personal sticks.
packed track, with the player whose stick slides the
Each crafter carves each snake with track conditions in
furthest winning the throw, the team to reach the allotted mind, for example, an ice stick is one of the heaviest sticks
points first, normally 7 or 10, wins the game. Bets can be
to create, for old or frozen snow, the Snowsanke is
placed on the contestants. Teams are composed of
somewhat lighter than for ice, as apposed for fresh snow
throwers and those who make and prepare the
conditions, the snake would be much lighter. It takes a
snowsnakes. The game is typically played by four teams, experienced crafter anywhere from one hour to two days
or "Corners," of men or boys and each team is allowed
to carve a proper snowsnake.
four throws per round. A team member throws the snake
As the Shiner, they will usually take a large selection of
down a trench about 5" deep, made of snow. On the
snowsnakes to tournaments in order to have the broadest
thrower's end (the top), the trench is built up to 32" in
selection from which to choose.
height, it gradually inclines until it is running along the
(such as the caddy to the golfer).
ground.
Whoever makes the longest throw gets two points. The
person with the second longest throw receives one point.
Throws have been recorded as traveling more than 1 mile
in less than three minutes and at speeds clocked by Sports
Illustrated reaching 108 miles per hour in the first mile.
Also, there is another version of the game that uses a pin/
flag/marker on a short track, the team that achieves the
set number of points by getting their snakes closest to,
Although it is possible for men to take up snow snake at
without passing the pin, wins.
any age, the most successful throwers typically start as
In the game of Snow Snake, the teams consist of
youths. It's a very difficult game to play and different than
"Throwers" and "Shiners." Because those who throw the
other games, the ground is often slippery,
Snowsnake - the "Throwers"- score the points these play- making it hard to keep your footing as you take the steps.
ers must therefore be strong, agile and able to adopt the Some throwers wear spikes and others use leather soles
functions of the "Shiner". The Shiner is the man who
to leverage the slide. You need maximum power, but you
crafts, maintains and ultimately selects which Snowsnake
also have to keep the snake on the track, which can be
will be used, taking weather conditions, track length, terhard even for experienced players.
Hoop & Spear
In Haudenosaunee communities, during the spring and summer months, a game called Hoop and Spear was
played. Hoop and Spear can be played many different ways. It can be played with 2 people or more
competitively against each other, or with teams. This game also comes with a variety of designs, rules and point
systems that varied from tribe to tribe.
To start this game one of the players or teams would take a turn to roll a homemade wooden hoop across the
cleared land while the other team or players would throw wooden javelins,
trying to hit the centre of the hoop determining points won.
Some hoops are made by bending a branch into a circle and tying the ends with
rawhide. Other hoops have been made from bundled corn husks, cedar bark or other plants and are wrapped
with rawhide or colored yarn for security. Some of the more fancier versions of the hoops would have beads
attached to the inside, to divide up the ring. Some hoops used rawhide lacing stretched across the hoop to
divide it into two halves or into quarters, while others would have a web of string woven into them. These
different shapes in the web can then be used to determine the score when the spear lands inside them.
Different kinds of spears were also made by of different groups/tribes, some spears were simply a pointed
stick; some sticks were only a few inches long while other sticks were several feet long and looked more like
actual spears. Sometimes the sticks were painted or carved, or had feathers tied to one end, while others had
forked ends, hooks or barbs, to catch on the hoop so that it would not pass all the way through. Each design
came from each individual player and what they determined strength and agility to look like.
This game ends when the first player reaches a certain number of points decided before hand or when one
player finally acquires all the spears of the other players or teams.—Using this method, each player in turn
throws one spear. If one player’s spear pierces the hoop while the other misses, the player who hit the hoop
takes the spear of the player that misses. If both players miss, or both players hit the hoop, they pickup their
own spears and keep playing.
LACROSSE
Today, lacrosse is an international team sport played
competitively all over the world, this
modern game originated with the Haudenosaunee.
Four hundred years ago, explorers to
Haudenosaunee territory saw the game being
played, the French Jesuits called the game “lacrosse”
because it was played with long stick, which they
called
a Crosse.
Among the Haudenosaunee the game is called
Te.wa.a.thon, which means “they bump hips.”
Double Ball
In lacrosse, a player must catch, carry and pass a ball
using a lacrosse stick, a long stick with a net at one
end. Historically, Haudenosaunee people played
lacrosse on a field that could be as short as one
hundred yards or as long as two miles and teams
could have from a handful to hundreds of players.
Although the game is won by the team who scores
the most goals, the Haudenosaunee had and still
have many other purposes for playing lacrosse.
The game is considered to be a gift from the
Creator, it is seen as a medicine game, or a game
played in order to heal and strengthen the people.
Lacrosse was sometimes played to resolve disputes
and get rid of bad feelings between clans and
nations within the Haudenosaunee.
It was and still is played to bring families,
communities, and nations together. Often before
players engage in a game of lacrosse there is a
community blessing where ceremonial tobacco is
placed into a fire, as the smoke rises, it is believed to
carry prayers to the Creator, however, some players
will also ask for guidance as individuals, praying for
strength or speed.
These requests to the Creator for personal and
community strength are played out within the game.
The game Lacrosse has a sister game to it we use to
call Double Ball, this game is played the same way
but instead a single ball, 2 balls attached by a leather rope is used, the playing stick looks more like a
tree limb of some kind, thick enough not to snap
when catching, carve to be thinner at the top with a
small, rounded point at the tip. The Double balls are
caught by the rope in the centre, a goal is scored
when a player is able to wrap the balls around a post
at each end or the made net, seen in the diagram.
Atenaha (Seed Game)
Pronounced: ah-deh-nah-ha
Purpose: This game is played for fun, to honor someone who has passed away, or to help settle family
disagreements by putting decision-making into the hands of the Creator.
Items needed: 8 two-sided wooden dice (dice can be made from wood chips, bone, or rocks, all must be shaped for
had size and darkened on one side, natural color on the other side), 40 corn
kernels which are placed in the center of the table (the pot/bank) at the start of the game.
Players: Six to twenty players can play.
Goal: Whoever wins all 40 kernels of corn wins the game.
Dice combinations:
1 white & 7 black - win 4 corn
7 white & 1 black - win 4 corn
2 white & 6 black - win 2 corn
6 white & 2 black - win 2 corn
3 white & 5 black - turn ends
5 white & 3 black - turn ends
4 white & 4 black - turn ends
All 8 white - win 10 corn
All 8 black - win 20 corn
How to Play: One person is chosen to start by throwing all eight dice first.
(Dice are passed in a counter-clockwise direction, unless the game is being played to honor someone who has passed
on to the Spirit World. In that case, the dice are passed clockwise.)
The player who is throwing the dice continues to throw as long as he/she is winning corn or unless he/she accidentally
drops one or more of the dice when picking them up or when shaking them.
In play, the player uses one hand to hide his/her winnings and the other hand to pick up and throw the dice.
The play and players continue to collect corn from the bank/pot until the pot is empty. At that point, any player who
has not won any corn is out of the game. This is called getting “skunked”.
The game continues, but now the dice thrower plays to collect corn from the other players.
Corn is not collected after each throw, instead, after the player’s turn has ended. The thrower tries to
maintain luck by picking up and throwing the dice continuously, quickly and diligently.
Originally point won by the dice thrower were paid evenly amongst all opposing players for example; if a player threw
combinations which added up to 6, and there happen to be 3 opposing players, then, the other 3 players give 2 of
their corn each but, If 10 corn kernels are won with 3 opposing players, each player gives 4 corn because giving 3
wouldn’t be enough. In an later version of this game all is the same except payments are paid evenly or if not able to
divide amongst all, then payment must go around to every opposing player until payment “in full” is collected (leaving
some players to pay more then others)
A player without corn can continue to play as long as he/she don’t owe any corn, this rule allows players a chance to
collect more corn, giving a player a third chance, putting pressure on the other players
(“last leg” deal). If a player doesn’t have enough corn to pay what is owed then his/her corn is divided evenly among
the remaining players and that player is out of the game.
Players who are not throwing may shout “shaaaa” as the dice are being thrown to try to give bad luck to the thrower.
Shouting “kahonta” (pronounced ga hoon dah) means “to make all one color” like a field and that brings good luck to
the thrower.
The game ends when one player wins all 40 corn.
Peach Stone
This game is played during certain ceremonies,
Mid-winter, Seed ceremony and the Harvest ceremony. it’s
played as an amusement to the Creator and as a
decision maker for the people. The two players (one from
each team/side of the longhouse) take turns
hitting a wooden bowl with a flat bottom against the floor or
bench. When played during Mid-winter, we split the clans
into two teams. The bear and turtle clans vs. the wolf clan.
During the seed ceremony, we play men vs. the women.
who ever is determined the winner will not have to plant the
garden for that season.
Inside the bowl are six peach pits which are called stones
that are blackened on one side. The stones are counted like
dice depending on how many colored sides are showing
after every hit of the bowel. Players place bets using their
own valuables with the winner or
winning side taking all.
The Peach stone game comes from the Iroquois, the game
originates from our creation story. The game
re-enacts one of the contests between the good twin
(Sapling) and the evil twin (Flint) as they struggled for dominance as the first men on earth. The importance of the
Peach stone game in Haudenosaunee rituals, helps us to
understand the attitude toward gambling. Games of chance
are considered to be sacred, played only in honor of the
Creator. "The message you send back to the Creator is that
you are grateful for what you have and willing to share it
with others."
The Way the Game is Played
When playing, 101 beans are used as counters (score
keepers), all beans are put aside (“in the bank”),
between each player/team to start. The one extra bean is
said that the one bean belongs to the creator, because he is
the one who determines the outcome of the game (the
winners). Each player starts out with 5 beans taken from the
pile of the 101. (continue to do this for every players turn
until all beans are exerted) (the beans act as the players
“lives” in each turn.) note: There are no limit of how many
people you have per team, just as long you have 2 teams.
Each team will need a counters and a bean holder.
A counters job is to hold the five beans of the playing player
and to keep track of how many lost and when the players
turn is finished. When one of the players have collected all
five beans of the other opponent, the player with no “lives”
left is done their turn and the next team player is up to play,
receiving another five beans. A player plays until all their
five beans are lost.
Holders, never count beans but only collect beans that have
been won and taken from the other team. After all beans
have been exerted from the bank the holders job is the take
from the winnings to give to the counter as their next
players lives and continue to pay from
holders pile of beans. The holder should have a hanky/ cup
or pocket to hold the beans so no one can see how many
beans each team has keeping competition strong.
To start playing the game you shake the bowl with the
peach pits inside the bowl, then you set the bowl down. If
you shake 5 black pits and 1 natural pit or Vic versa, you
win 1 bean from the other side, and able to continue your
turn until you stop winning points. (turns will vary per
person) If you shake all 6 black or all 6 the natural color
then you win 5 beans at once and the player you are playing
against is out, letting someone else from the opposing team
to play. The game starts back up with the remaining player
starting the next turn by shaking and hitting the bowel down
and passing back and forth as the plays play out. If one get a
win of all 5 one colour after also winning a couple of 1
pointer from the same opponent then the holder will have
to give the difference to the counter to pay up pulse 5 more
beans for the next player...so on and so forth. If near the
end and u find that there is not enough to make the full 5
beans for one of the last players then u simply play with
what's left and that is the amount of lives the player is left to
play with until more beans have been won or the game is
finished by victory! You play this game until all beans are
gone from one team. Once one team has no beans left to
play with, they are the team that looses. This game can be
played for a time of 30 minutes to 5 days!