Cherokee Games are held to preserve and promote the rich history of Cherokee culture.  Many of these activities, in ancient times, either sharpened hunting skills or were simply recreational.  In the modern world, games are enjoyed as sport and are often played competitively.  Cash tournaments are held and spectators are encouraged to try their hand at any of the events.

All events are held at the Cherokee Heritage Center.  There is no registration fee to participate in the tournaments.

June 6, 2009	10 a.m.	Blowgun and Cornstalk Shoot
September 26, 2009	10 a.m.	Cherokee Marbles, Stickball and Chunkey

For more Educational Events please see the Education event calandar

Chunkey

Cherokee men played a game called chunkey with a disc stone and wooden poles.  The discoidal stone was rolled and poles were thrown estimating the point where the disc stopped.  The pole closest to the stone gained the most points.  Games were played for hours, sometimes days and gambling was a common activity.

Chunkey was played on a smooth field of packed sand or clay about 100 feet long and 12 feet wide.  Typically there was only one disc that belonged to the village.  The disc was polished stone, sometimes made of quartz.  The disc size was approximately 1 ½” wide and 5-7” high.  The poles were carved hickory sticks about 8 feet long with marked notches.  They were often rubbed with bear grease.

Only two men at a time played the game.  One would roll the stone and almost simultaneously they both would throw the sticks.  The players would often run parallel to their sticks as if to encourage the flight.  Once the disc and poles had landed the score was determined by how close to the stone the stick landed.  In the Cherokee games, if the pole touched the disc no points were awarded.

Spectators filled the banks of the chunkey yard where much gambling occurred.  Accounts of this game indicated an electric and frenzied atmosphere fueled by betting.  

After the Colonial period the game seemed to die out.  Reasons for the decline are only speculative.  Today, chunkey is not a commonly played game.

Blowguns

Traditionally blowguns were used for hunting small game.  Although blowguns are still used for hunting today they are primarily reserved for demonstration and competitions.
Blowguns are made from river cane and are from 6 to 10 feet long.  In ancient times a hot coal was dropped inside to burn out the joint membranes.   Today heated steel rods are used to open the shaft.  Crooked stalks can be straightened by holding the cane over a fire and rolling against a hard surface or the knee.
Darts are small carved sticks about 10” long with thistle attached at the end to act as fletching.  Bois d’arc wood was favored and today wooden skewers are used. Thistle is still the preferred fletching.
The thistle is Scottish thistle and has a purple bloom.  The pods are picked after the bloom has opened and are stored with the dried pod still attached.  The thistle is then “threaded” onto the stick with common sewing thread.

Competitions are common and competitors shoot at a target approximately 20 yards away. Points are determined by the various values of the rings around the bull’s eye. Men and women shoot the blowgun although tournaments are separated by gender.

Cherokee Marbles

One of the most ancient games known, Cherokee Marbles are still played today.  Marbles were the size of a billiard balls and made from stone chipped and rounded.  Today billiard balls are used with the cue ball being favored. 

The game is played on an “L” shaped field about 100 feet long with five holes about 10 to 12 feet apart and the last hole at the end of the “L.”  The holes are approximately 2 inches in diameter and marbles must rest exactly atop the hole to advance to the next hole.  Throughout game play making holes and hitting the opponents marble out of the way employs great strategy and skill.  See Game Rules (link to game rules)

Any number can play but the teams must have equal number of players.  Two and three man teams are preferred today and tournament play is common. 

Stickball

Stickball, often referred to as Little Brother of War, has been played for centuries.  Played as an alternative to war with other tribal groups, a stickball game was played to settle disputes.

Played with racquet type ball sticks and a small leather ball, the object of the game was to control the ball and score points by throwing the ball through poles set up similar to football goal posts.  A second style of game, and most frequently played in Oklahoma, is to hit a centered pole with a wooden fish icon fastened at the top.

Only men played in ancient times.  There was ceremonial procedure that was strictly followed before and after the games.  Leaders, medicine men, players and women participated in these events and a late night dance was held before the game.

Stickball is still played today.  Men and women participate in recreational games as well as ceremonial games.  Ceremonial grounds that continue to practice religious traditions play the game as a part of customary rituals.  Recreational games of stickball can be found in communities, schools and tribal events.  Men and women play co-ed style; men use ball sticks and the women use their hands.

Stickball sticks are made of hickory and are one piece of wood molded, bent and tied to form the racquet end.  Leather lacings or thongs are woven as the pocket to hold the ball.

 

Contact information - Heritage Center (918) 456-6007 Email:education@CherokeeHeritage.org

Cornstalk Shoot

The cornstalk shoot goes back to the time when Cherokee hunters and warriors would compete for accuracy with their bow and arrow. To keep the tips of the arrows from breaking, participants shot through a large bank of dried cornstalks. Today the game remains very popular and is played in much the same way.
The targets are cornstalks, three foot long, stacked one foot deep and three foot high, held between hickory sticks that are sunk into the ground, and tied together at the top. The targets are placed 85 to 120 "steps" or yards apart. Only traditional (hand made) bows are allowed.  Bows are made from various woods such as hickory or black locust with bois d’arc (Osage orange) being favored.  The arrows have shafts instead of arrow tips or points.  There is no limit on the length of these tips but they are usually 5-8 inches long.

Each shooter shoots 2 arrows in each round and score is tallied by number of stalks that the arrow tips penetrate. The first shooter to reach 50 points is the winner.