Woodlands Games and Sports

First Nations societies have traditionally shared an interest in games and athletic competitions. Games were often a prelude to adult activities, and as soon as they were able, many young people played hunting games with small bows, arrows, and spears. Such activities helped develop hand-eye coordination and other skills needed to hunt and survive. Recreational pastimes such as the cup and ball (or ring and pin), various string games, hand shadow games, guessing games, and games of strength and endurance, often emphasized eyesight, agility and creativity.

This area includes the Iroquoian (e.g., Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca, Tuscarora) and Algonquian (e.g., Ojibwa, Odawa, Potawatomi, Algonkian, Abenaki, Mi’kmaq) language groups. The information provided here is only a sampling of First Nations games information.