Indian Ball Games

 

                                        Choctaw Ball Player, by George Catlin, 1834

 

 

I apologize for neglecting my blog site. Three of our children have come through town with their families so we have been enjoying visiting with them. I have been spending whatever writing time I have had to post on the Lone Tree Hiking Club Facebook site, trying to drum up interest in our club, and also to work on my book, which I'm beginning to think will never be finished.  

I could post several more entries about the Furniture Catalogue, which continues to fascinate me, but I thought I would get back to the Chickasaws instead. My daughters have recently visited the Chickasaw Culture Center down in Sulfur Oklahoma, which is worth a visit for anyone, whether a history buff or not. It looks like there have been several additions to the experience there since I visited it a couple of years ago.

For one, there have been several buildings added to the Chickasaw village. Also there was a craftsman making flutes. He also had drums, bows and arrows display. He let the kids accompany him with rattles and drums while he played the flute. I hope I get to see his display sometime. I've always been fascinated by the making of arrowheads out of flint stone. I tried when I was a boy, but was a miserable failure. I think it involves heating the stone and then dropping water on the edges. Maybe some day…

The other thing the kids got to see was an Indian ball game. They took a video and it showed both men and women playing. The men use sticks but the women can use their hands. There was only one goal in the demonstration, a pole with the image of a bird on top. The object was to hit the bird with the ball.

The game of stickball has a colorful history. It was originally called the "little brother to war" by the southeastern tribes who played the sport for recreation and also sometimes to settle disputes between tribes. The ball is a little larger than a golf ball and is made of cow or deer hide. Each player has two sticks with a cup on one end. The object of the game is to trap the ball between the sticks and carry or throw it through the goal posts. The French copied the game and called it Lacrosse because of the resemblance of the sticks used to a bishop's crosier.

In the old days teams were blessed and refereed by the tribes' medicine men. The goals were set about a mile apart and there were hundreds of players. About the only rule was that the players had to use the sticks to move the ball. Weapons were left on the sidelines, but players could use their bodies or their sticks to hit each other. Tackling, tripping, and hair pulling were allowed. Fights between individual players were tolerated, but other players were not allowed to interfere. Serious injuries and even death occurred.

Women also play ball, but they use their hands instead of sticks. A ball game between men and women of the Creek tribe was described by Major Ethan Allen Hitchcock in his memoir, edited by Grant Foreman, and published as "A Traveler in Indian Territory." According to Hitchcock, the women were winning in the game he watched.

Fans have always been enthusiastic in Indian ball games. In a game between the Chickasaw and Choctaw tribes in 1903 a fight broke out among the fans and the Lighthorse (Indian) Police had to be called in to break it up.

The famous western artist George Catlin was a Indian ball fan, and he attended games whenever he could. He wrote a detailed description of a game that is quoted on the Chickasaw Nation website in an article by Robert Perry. 

Indian ball or stickball is still played and although serous fights and attempts to injure an opponent are penalized, it is still much like the old game. I saw a game when I was nine or ten and it was really violent. Opponents hit and tackled each other and hit each other's sticks to knock the ball loose. I'll never forget it. 

I found some video of Indian stickball on YouTube. It shows excerpts from several games, and you can see what an exciting, challenging game it still is. See "Real Choctaw Stickball."

                          Choctaw Ball Play Dance at Skullyville, Indian Territory, 1834

                                                          George Catlin

 

Chickasaw Hall of Fame, 2011

Last week I was privileged to attend the induction of three new members into the Chickasaw Hall of Fame. Chickasaw Governor Bill Anoatubby founded the Hall of Fame in 1987, to honor individuals who have made significant contributions to the tribe and to the communities in which they live. Honorees include modern Chickasaw citizens as well as tribal leaders from preremoval times.  

This year’s ceremony was in the beautiful auditorium at Riverwind, one of the Chickasaw Casinos. It was thrilling to see so many Chickasaws gathered in one place: men with feathers in their hair, women in traditional Chickasaw dresses. The entertainment was provided by Native American musicians playing the flute, guitar and violin. Traditional Chickasaw dishes were served. I heard some Chickasaws conversing in our native language.

The ceremony itself was very impressive. The invocation in the Chickasaw language was given by Pauline Brown. Then an honor guard of Chickasaw veterans presented the flags of the U.S., the State of Oklahoma and The Chickasaw Tribe. After an introduction by Amanda Cobb Grantham, head of the Chickasaw Division of Culture and History, Ray Gene McCarter, a Chickasaw legislator, introduced this year’s honorees.

                               

                               Tishu Miko

                                               

The first Chickasaw to be honored was the great chief, Tishu Miko, after whom the Chickasaw capital, Tishomingo, was named. Tishu Miko was a respected leader before the Removal and was the last Chickasaw War Chief. He led Chickasaw warriors in support of U. S. troops against the French, the British, and even against the Creek tribe. Finally, when the State of Mississippi permitted its citizens to operate trading posts on Chickasaw land in violation of U. S. treaties, Tishomingo closed a trading post operated by a white man and confiscated its goods. For this he was put in prison and fined $500. Tishomingo died on the Trail of Tears at the age of 102.

                                      Jess Green

The second honoree for 2011 was Jess Green, a Chickasaw attorney and judge who has worked for the tribe since the revitalization of our tribal governnment in the ‘70’s. Mr. Green won two cases in the U. S. Supreme Court which established legal sovereignty for the Chickasaws as well as the other Native American tribal governments, and through the years he has fought for the rights of Native Americans in the courts. Although in poor health, Mr. Green was able to attend the presentation and he gave an inspiring acceptance speech.

                                     Robert Perry

The third honoree was Robert Perry, who has spent many years volunteering his time and talents working for the Chickasaw tribe. Mr. Perry is an engineer, an artist and a writer. He wrote a fascinating biography of the Indian artist, Woody Crumbo, and a book about a ceremonial Chickasaw garment, The Turkey Feather Cape, which he recreated, and which is on display at the Chickasaw Culture Center. My favorite one of his books is The Little People, a book of stories about magical forest creatures of Creek and Chickasaw lore. Mr. Perry, like Mr Green, played an important role in the development of Chickasaw tribal government. For several years he traveled monthly to Oklahoma from Houston, Texas, where he was working for Phillips Petroleum Company, to chair the Chickasaw Industrial Development Board.  

In his acceptance speech, Mr. Perry pointed out the importance of volunteers and of tribal elders in building our tribe and in preserving our traditions. My mother, Wenonah Paul Gunning, met Mr. Perry in 1995 when she was appointed to the Board of Directors of the Chickasaw Historical Society.  She and Robert’s mother, Sophia Reeder Perry, both went to school during the ‘20’s at Bloomfield Academy, a Chickasaw boarding school for girls, and after she recognized their connection, she felt a special affection for Mr. Perry. She also appreciated Mr. Perry’s knowledge of tribal history, and the respect he showed for her and for other elders of the tribe. He was always a good and kind friend. 

Governor Anaotubby spoke after the presentions, and pointed out how the awards recognize the numerous and diverse contributions made by members of our tribe. If you’re interested in seeing the other members of the Hall of Fame you can visit the Chickasaw web page: http://www.chickasaw.net/hof/