For the Native American people of Southern California, games and gambling were an important part of daily life. There were a number of gambling games which involved dice and games which involved guessing which hand held a marked stick or bone.
In their book The Cahuilla Indians of Southern California, Lowell Bean and Harry Lawton write:
“Games had an active place in Cahuilla society. There were men’s games and women’s games and competition was the principal motive. Moiety played against moiety, lineage against lineage, and individual against individual. To add excitement, bets were placed on the outcome of many games.”
Nearly all of the tribes in California played a kind of hockey called shinny. The game is played with a ball or with a hoop which is propelled by a stick which is curved at one end. The game is essentially a race to see which of two opposing teams can propel its ball or hoop over a course, strike a turning post, and then return to the starting point to put the ball or hoop into a goal hole. From two to five men play on each side and the length of the course is determined by the number of players.
One of the displays in the Riverside Metropolitan Museum in Riverside, California, looks at games and gaming.
According to the Museum display:
“Games were an important part of life for Southern California Native Americans. Young girls were taught to care for their dolls made of tules and played cat’s cradle to prepare their hands for making baskets. Young boys played a game similar to field hockey called shinny. Peon, walnut dice and stick games were played by adults. Today, these games can still be seen at powwows and in Native American celebrations. From games to gaming, casinos are a part of Southern California Native American life.”
Indians 101
Indians 101 is a series exploring American Indian cultures, museums, histories, and current concerns. More about California Indians from this series:
Indians 101: California Indian Baskets in the Maryhill Museum (Photo Diary)
Indians 101: A Very Brief Overview of California's Achumawi Indians
Indians 101: California's Mission Indians
Indians 101: Historic Southern California Indian Cultures (Photo Diary)
Indians 101: Mountain Men and Indians in California
Indians 101: California Women's Woven Hats (Photo Diary)
Indians 101: Pomo Indian Baskets (Photo Diary)