Games from the Aboriginal People of North America

Around the world people have passed on games as part of their culture. Both children and adults played games in all Aboriginal nations, and because most relied on symbols, these games could be played among different nations who didn't speak the same language. Many of these games were played for entertainment, but they usually had a religious meaning or were used as learning tools.

These games also were symbolic of the season; many of the games were specific for summer or winter. The idea of patterns, relationships of patterns, numbers and operations were developed in many of the dice games. Also, the strategy games brought in ideas of problem solving and critical thinking. Practically all of these games rely on the concepts of data management and probability.

There are three categories or types of games that we look at in this project - games of chance, games of strategy and lifestyle based mathematics. These games will work well in classrooms to meet educational objectives. They are significant examples of a natural learning environment and the mathematical concepts that can be abstracted from them.

Creator Biography:
This site is maintained by faculty and students at the University of Regina in Regina, Saskatchewan, Canada, from the Faculty of Education, the Faculty of Science and the Saskatchewan Urban Native Teacher Education Program program. It became an internet site in September, 2009.

Resource type: Digital / media / art, teaching materials

Age recommendation: Grades 4-6, 7-9, 10-12, post-secondary

Keywords: Games, Indigenous games, traditional games, language, sticks, rocks, math, probability, chance, guessing, strategy, lifestyle, Plains Cree, Qu'appelle Saskatchewan, The Pomo, Piapot Reserve, Arapaho, Penobscot Nation, Blackfoot, Zuni, online resource, math games, histories

Year of publication: 2009

Publisher information: University of Regina