Traditional Sports – Arctic Sports Dene Games
Arctic Sports:
It has always been easy to see that games are an important part if the Inuit way of life and have been since the earliest days. Inuit games were played by the indigenous peoples of the Arctic Coast of Siberia (Chukotka, in Russian standard geographical terminology), Greenland, and the Arctic regions of North America. From east to west, the lands inhabited by the Inuit extend over a distance of almost 5,000 kilometers.
A great number of stories from the earliest days describe traditional games as they are still played today. This goes to show that the games are an important part of Inuit Culture even during those early days. These games were not just played for fun; they were an important part of traditional way of life.
Although the different groups are spread over this vast area, their cultures share many common features. All the people speak dialects of the same language. No one can understand every dialect, but the language is easily distinguishable from those of the Inuit’s neighbor, the Athapaskan and Algonquian people. What is more, the groups of families inhabiting the different regions made their living off the land in similar ways. They all survived under the difficult conditions of their Arctic homelands. In consequence, they all developed similar ways of making a living on the land. Although there was little if any contact between more distant groups, they would have easily recognized each other’s traditions as their own. The games that the Inuit people played mirrored their living conditions. Games were played during community festivals and were meant to be fun and competitive but also had an educational aspect to them. The games prepared people for living on the land and the hunt that lay ahead. Many of the games tested the competitor’s strength, endurance, and pain resistance all tools needed to survive in the vast Arctic.
Below are some of the more popular Games and the reason that they are played.
The one foot high kick is one of the indoor games that were traditionally played during the winter months, especially when several groups met during the dark and short days. It is a game that combines power (explosive strength) with a degree of coordination and body control. It is considered to be one of the most difficult and exciting of Inuit Traditional Games.
Two foot high kick
It is believed that this game originated among the people in Alaska. The two foot high kick is considered by athletes to be the most demanding Arctic Sport, keeping proper balance while airborne is difficult.
Alaskan High Kick
The Alaskan high kick originated among, and was reintroduced by people from Alaska. From here, the game was distributed across the arctic. Like many of the Inuit Games it can be played in a confined area as there is no run up and the space required is no larger than the equivalent of a full body length in diameter or extension.
One Hand Reach
The One Hand Reach is closest to a ‘mind game’; mental focus and preparation are of the greatest importance along with physical strength and sense of balance. In the one hand reach, even the slightest distraction is likely to cause immediate loss of balance, and the attempt will fail. Strength endurance in the upper body determines how far the competitor is able to extend the upper body, and thus how high he is able to reach.
Kneel Jump
The Kneel Jump as with many of the Inuit Games used to get people ready for life on the land. One Elder mentioned that this Game was used to prepare hunters for conditions they may face on the land or frozen water. This game help enable hunters to move quickly when ice started to break. From a kneeling position the hunter would need to move quickly and jump a span of water to get to safety thus the kneel jump winner is the person that jumps the farthest and shows balance.
Arm Pull
The arm pull is one of the traditional tug-o-ar games. Maximum strength is the single factor that decided the outcome.
On signal, competitors pull slowly and steadily at the elbow while bracing the opposite hand on the opponent’s ankle. Contact between the knee and elbow is not allowed. The pulling motion must be inside the elbows, not in an outward direction. The object is to pull the opponent over or touch the opponent’s hand to the chest.
Knuckle Hop
Traditionally this was a game that was used to test a person’s capacity to endure pain as much as physical abilities or technical skills. Knuckle Hop is a ‘Pain Game’ but rather then reaching the limits of their physical or technical skills, the athlete may be overcome by the pain inflicted and end the attempt. This is a competition of distance. The athlete who covers the greatest distance wins the round, and it often happens that a competitor will walk away from the course with scratched, bruised or even bleeding knuckles.
Airplane
Originally known as the ‘Eagle (Carry)’, a competition of strength and endurance the air-plane requires a rigid body position with the arms straight out to the side and the feet straight back. Three carriers, one on each arm and one at the ankles lift the athlete and carry them over a pre-set course. The attempt is over once the body; usually the chest dips towards the ground. It is one of the few Inuit Traditional Games that do not require well-developed technical and motor skills.
Head Pull
Like most traditional Games, the Head Pull requires very little equipment and can be played in just about any space available, indoors or outdoors. The Game is comparable to Tug-of-War. Two competitors position themselves on the ground facing each other supported only on their hands and toes. A leather loop is placed around their heads. When the signal is given, they begin to pull steadily and strongly. The competitor, who succeeds in either pulling the opponent across the target line or in pulling the belt off the opponent’s head, wins the match. It is not necessary the participant with the greater maximum strength who wins, but rather the competitor with the greater strength endurance will emerge as the winner.
Triple Jump
Triple jump is traditionally a game of the people of the Magadan (Russia) region and a Game that is a repeated test of an athletes’ explosive strength, or power. As a distance competition it can be compared to Track and Field’s Triple Jump, with one small difference; the athlete must jump with both (Two) feet not one foot.
Bench Reach
The competitor kneels at the end of a bench. While supported at the ankles by an assistant, they lean forward and down and put a small object on the floor as far away from the bench as possible. The attempt is only valid if they succeed in moving back up into the starting position.
Toe Hang
A Game of Pain and strength Endurance. The participant will raise their legs and feet and rest the tops of their feet across the bar or pole. Placing hands/forearms behind the knees their knees or thighs and pulling their knees into their chests the participant will raise their shoulders and head from the floor surface, until no part of their body is in contact with the floor.
Blanket Toss
Blanket Toss is a game often played at festivals and other Inuit celebrations and is reminiscent of non-Inuit contests that use a trampoline. It was part of celebrations that were held after a successful whale hunt. Everyone that caught a whale had to give a dance (Toss on the Blanket). The whole community was excited as this was the event of the year. The blanket made from walrus skin is used. The participants were tossed in the air until they could not stand or land on their feet anymore. Participants sometimes reached heights of 25 feet or more.
Dene Games:
The northern Athapaskan peoples , or Dene, are the aboriginal inhabitants of the Northern Regions of Canada and Alaska. The Traditional Lands of the Dene extend from the interior of Alaska across the Yukon and the Northwest Territories east to Hudson’s Bay. The Dene consists of several regional groups all of whom speak their own language. Certain differences do exist, but neighboring groups can usually understand each other’s language. This is also true of the Traditional Dene Games where by there are differences in the same game played by different Dene Regions.
In the Old days, Dene made their living on the land. Survival depended on hunting , fishing, and during late summer and fall, gathering berries in the areas around the fish camps. People relied on the resources that the land provided. Dene people had the one basic thing in common; surviving and traveling on the land. It was through their travels that the people most closely connected with the land and through this connection it influenced the Games in which the Dene people played. These games prepared them for surviving on the land and tested their skills in strength, endurance, speed and even pain resistance. Games were not only intended for fun at gatherings but also prepared them for what laid ahead; and to survive on the land
The Games below are the most popular Games played and are also played at the Arctic Winter Games.
Finger Pull
The finger pull is a test of strength endurance and maximal strength of the arm and pulling hand. One player is on offense and the other on defense. For the player on defense, pain endurance may also be a determining factor in deciding the winner of the contest. It is a game that comes from people in Alaska.
Hand Games:
Also known as Stick Gambling. This is one of the most important traditional games among the Yukon and NWT First Nations, in the Sahtu and Deh Cho, and among the Dogrib and Chipewyan people. Any festive occasion will provide a good opportunity to play. The game is not as wide-spread among the Gwich’in. It is important to understand, that the hand signals used often differ from community to community. Hand Games is a game of guessing and deceiving and played to a chorus of drums and usually is the liveliness of all Dene Games.
Snow Snake
This is a game is played in the winter and was often used to test accuracy, power or technique. Traditionally a hunting tool to catch small game, in competition it is used as a distance game. Similar to the Javelin in track and field the person that throws the spear the farthest wins. With Snow snake however the spear is thrown underhand and along the ground.
Stick Pull
In some Alaskan Gwich’in communities, the stick was decorated with eagle feathers which were tied to the centre of the stick with beaded strings. In the summer, people from the communities of Arctic Village, Fort Yukon and Chalkyisik met and competed in the Stick Pull. The winning team took the stick back to their community, ready to compete for it again during the following summer.
In the winter, the game was often played after a successful hunt, when everybody had put away a good supply of meat. The chief, an elder or one of the successful hunters invited the people to a feast. After everybody had eaten, the men and boys joined in the Stick Pull. On these occasions, bear grease was used to grease the stick. It was also used to simulate catching fish. The concept of the Game is to pull the stick from your opponent’s hand.
Pole Push:
Around 1870, Gwitch’in on the Alaskan side would play the Pole Push at feasts held in honor of an important person who had passed away. On those occasions the game was played over a fire in the middle of the playing area. The player first in line on the stronger team in consequence had the ‘privilege’ of being warmed up quite thoroughly – a rather unusual motivation for winning the competition. Today teams of four try and push the other team out of a circle, the game requires strength endurance and maximal strength.
Hoop and Pole:
The Hoop and Pole game was considered to be a useful part of a boys’ education. Boys who began to learn the skills of a good hunter, were encouraged to play the Hoop and Pole game. It increased the boys’ agility and sureness of aim, and also trained them in the proper use of the spear and arrow. The game was played throughout the seasonal cycle. After freeze up it could be played on the ice of a river or lake.
Moose Skin Ball
Also know as Slavey Handball or Keep Away Ball and resembles a combination of Volleyball, Handball and Rugby. This was a fun game played during the long summer days. The whole community participates, men, women, boys and girls. The game would last for hours, no score was kept, and there were neither losers nor winners.
Dene Swing
A game played for fun, and is hardly played today, but is remembered by the elders as a non-competitive game providing great excitement. A competitive version of the was often accompanied by gambling. The Game was only played in the summer because it was believed if played in the winter it would cause the winter to be long and cold. The object of the Game is to try and swing each other off the swing.