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One of the most
important games to be played by the Cherokee is
Stickball or A-ne-jo-di (Little Brother of War). An ancient game
and
often very violent it was used as a way to settle disputes rather
than
go to war. It is reported that often players would die, but this
was
preferable to many dying and causing retaliation.
In prehistoric
times, there were few rules and no set time limit on the
length of the game. Like hockey, the sticks could be used to hit
or trip
opposing players. Today the game is stilled played, but is not violent
and is played with the women as well. In today's version of the
game women also win, as the men are reluctant to be too rough in
their play.
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the ancient Cherokee, the games could also serve as preparation
for young men to go on war parties by practicing skills useful
in fighting. Although games were played mostly for fun they
could involve heavy betting such as the game of chunkey, where
two competors rolled a polished discoidal stone and threw
spears at the spot it was going to come to rest with the closest
throw winning.
Another
game was cornstalk shooting, which was an archery contest
where two or more opponents shot at a wall of horizontal cornstalks
a few hundred feet away. The purpose was to not only be the
first to hit the cornstalks, but also to penetrate as many
cornstalks as possible. Heavy betting could accompany this
game as well. |
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Other games,
such as the basket game, were more ceremonial and
recreational in content. Small betting might accompany the game
but they generally were less fierce and competitive than the other
games.
Question:
Is war a good answer for settling conflicting ideas?
Question:
Would competitive games be a better way
of settlling disputes rather than going to war?
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