Competitions

Close up of the bone and toggle game, a test of hand-eye coordination © Woodland Cultural Centre Photo by: Mark Barrowcliffe

First Nations across Canada preserve a diverse cultural and linguistic heritage. They also share some similarities. For instance, 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.

(INAC (2000), The Learning Circle: Classroom Activities on First Nations in Canada, Ages 4-7. Unit 5, pg.40.)

This section, focuses on various First Nations games and athletes from the Eastern Woodland region. The Eastern Woodland region of North America is bordered by: the Subarctic to the north, the Plains to the west, the Southeast to the south, and the Atlantic Ocean to the east. 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. We encourage you to learn more about these and other First Nations games and athletes from across North America. For more information visit or write to your nearest Cultural Centre or Museum!

Bone and Toggle

While touring the museum, some students take a stab at the bone and toggle game. © Woodland Cultural Centre Photo by: Mark Barrowcliffe