GAMES OF THE AMERICAN INDIAN

Unlike Hofsinde's Indian Games and Crafts, which gives explicit instructions for a limited number of amusements, this is a cultural survey of Indian recreations, not as directional about procedures but as reliable as the older book. The Indians (mostly North American, with occasional nods to Eskimo and South American practices) had toys for entertaining infants and for ceremonial purposes, and others that the children could make themselves, often modelled on adult diversions. Varieties of tag and tug-of-war, ballgames and bows and arrows, Kachina and other dolls, games of skill (hoop-and-pole, snow-snake, etc.) and games of chance (dice), mud works and string figures--all are presented here, often with their religious associations. Numerous illustrations--both line drawings and photographs--represent the finished products and people at play. Some signals for the try-anything tribe, better as a descriptive reference.