M ITERIAL CULTURE. 7\) 



games are more widely distributed than many other 

 cultural traits; but a few seem almost entirely peculiar 

 to the Plains. 



A game in which a forked anchor-like stick is thrown 

 at a rolling ring was known to the Dakota, Omaha, 

 and Pawnee. So far, it has not been reported from 

 other tribes. 



Another game of limited distribution is the large 

 hoop with a double pole, the two players endeavoring 

 to place the poles so that when the hoop falls, it will 

 make a count according to which of the four marks in 

 the circumference are nearest a pole. This has been 

 reported for the Arapaho, Dakota, and Omaha. 

 Among the Dakota, this game seems to have been 

 associated w^ith magical ceremonies for "calling the 

 buffalo" and also played a part in the ghost dance 

 (p. 113) movement. The Arapaho have also a sacred 

 game hoop associated with the sun dance. Other 

 forms of this game in which a single pole is used have 

 been reported from almost every tribe in the Plains. 

 It occurs also outside this area. Yet, in the Plains 

 it takes special forms in different localities. Thus the 

 Blackfoot and their neighbors use a very small spoked 

 ring with an arrow for the pole, the Mandan used a 

 small plain ring but with a very long pole, while the 

 Comanche used a large life-preserver like hoop with a 

 sectioned club for a pole. 



The netted hoop at which darts were thrown is 

 almost universal in the Plains, but occurs elsewhere as 

 well. Other popular games were stick dice, and the 



