cULIN] DICE GAMES: NAVAHO 93 
the marks touch each other, and are held in this position with the index finger 
and thumb of both hands. The player states how many points he will score 
and his opponent takes up the challenge by stating his own points. The sticks, 
held in position with both hands, are thrown up against the blanket above, and 
according as they fall—that is—as the marks touch each other or are close to 
one another, a point, great or small, is scored. The highest point is scored if 
the sticks fall as held when thrown up, otherwise the points count according 
to the proximity of the mark on the two sticks. The player continues, if he 
scores a point; contrariwise, his opponent tries. 
This was an indoor game and not limited to a particular season. At present 
it is scarcely known, but our informant remembers it was played quite fre- 
quently in his childhood. He remembers, too, that the sticks were not rounded 
or hollow, but ordinarily round. 
In a subsequent letter, from information obtained from Tlissi 
tso, “ Big Goat,” whose father was a professional gambler, Father 
Berard writes: 
There are four sticks of different colors, yellow, white, black, and blue. Yel 
low is called tsi, white whtshi, black ashbii, and blue nézhi. These names are 
not those of the colors but of the sticks. White and yellow, black and blue, are 
partners, respectively. These sticks are placed in a basket and thrown up to 
the blanket in order to rebound. According as they fall, or not, in proximity to 
partners selected, points are scored and stakes won. 
Navano. Chin Lee, Arizona. (Cat. no. 3621, Brooklyn Institute 
Museum. ) 
Three sticks, 3 inches in length, flat on one side and rounded on the 
other. 
One stick (figure 93a), painted half black and half white on the 
To 
oe 
Fig. 93 a, b, c. Stick dice (for ashbii); 
length, 3 inches; Navaho Indians, Ari- 
zona; cat. no. 3621, Brooklyn Institute 
Museum. 
rounded side, the flat side black, 
is called tsi’i, head. Another ( fig- 
ure 935), painted half red and 
half white, the flat side half black 
and half white, is called nezhi, and 
the third (figure 93c), painted en- 
tirely red on the rounded side and 
black on the flat side is called 
tqelli. Three dice are employed in the game of ashbiu. The sticks 
are held together and tossed, ends upward, against the blanket above 
the players. A basket is placed below and they do not count unless 
Fig. 94. Order of counts in game of ashbii; 
Navaho Indians, Arizona. 
