Since 1991, a dedicated group of tribal teachers from Alberta, Montana, Idaho, and North Dakota have been re-discovering an almost lost heritage; skills of sensing, observing, and intuition and skills of endurance, strength, and dexterity. 

200 years ago, American Indian families, bands, clans, and tribes coached and guided the youth in important skills needed survival. 

Some findings:

·        Thousands of old Indian games of intuition & chance created situations to learn body language, observation of the environment, and ways to connect with spirit and power.

·        Physical and mental skills needed for survival were dependent upon early childhood development of neural connections in the brain.  Basic coordination for adult tasks was set before twelve years old. 

When Indian children were removed from their homes and sent to mission or boarding schools, they came back to their tribes without the culture knowledge but also without the natural skills for successfully protecting and providing for their families.

Why these ancient skills are important to modern youth:

·        Just like storytelling, the values of the culture can be infused into the games' skill development.

·        Honor, respect, and responsibility to others have been lost in the thirst of modern society to be "the individual best."

·        American Indian health issues are critical.  Modern education needs the assistance of the older ways of spiritual, mental, and physical survival.

Each summer the Society hosts a summer camp.  In ceremony, the blanket holding the games sanctioned by many tribes, is opened; thereby giving permission for all to play. 

On the closing day, any tribe can present a recovered game to the blanket, then the blanket is closed and presented to the tribal people who are to host the next summer's camp.

HISTORY OF TRADITIONAL GAMES PROJECT

1989 Began research of “Dog Days” children’s’ games of the Blackfeet Indians at Browning Middle School for Browning School District #9.

1991 With Montana Arts Council grant, filmed sixth, seventh, and eighth grade Browning Middle School students in authentic traditional clothing as they performed the ancient games of Blackfeet.

1992 Arlee Junior High school and Salish Kootenai College media department edited the raw footage of the Blackfeet children’s games into a twenty minute film to be used for education.

1993 A game’s manual was written and published to accompany the film.

1994 The Peoples’ Center and Arlee School wrote and received a grant from the Montana Conmiittee of the Humanities to research and then film games of the Flathead tribes.

1995 Traditional games were incorporated into National Native American Day ceremonies.

1996 The American Indian Games Foundation, which was formed in 1993 by a small group of Blackfeet, encouraged a new Humanities grant to be written for bringing Montana tribes together to plan games.

1997 Upon receiving a Montana Committee of the Humanities planning grant, tribal representatives met. They recommended the formation of a non-profit organization called “International Traditional Games Society.”

1998 “International Traditional Games Society” was incorporated and funding was sought to host the first traditional games.

1999 First International Traditional Games was held summer 1999 on Blackfeet Reservation near Glacier Park.

2000 Blackfeet Games held at Red Eagle Campground, July 27-30.

2001 Flathead Games held at Elmo Pow-Wow Grounds, July 25-30.

2002 Traditional Native American Games presented at “World Indiginous People’s Conference,” Morley, Alberta, Canada.

2003 International Traditional Games held at “Standing Arrow” Pow Wow, Elmo, Montana.

2004 Traditional Games Society hosted summer games at Expo Park, Great Falls, Montana.  It was the first summer games off reservations and was very well attended by urban Indians and the Little Shell tribal members.

2005 The International Traditional Games Society partnered with the Lewis & Clark Bicentennial to co-host the signature event in Great Falls, Montana call "Explore! The Big Sky."  People from around the world, as well as Montana's American Indians, attended to play the games.

2006 Fort Belknap Nation received the game blanket and hosted the summer camp in Lodge Pole, Montana in June of 2006.  Youth, teens, and adults participated in children's games, team games, and horse events.

2007 Fort Belknap Nation agreed to host the summer games again in July 23 - 25, 2007 at Lodge Pole, Montana.  Planned events are speakers from horse societies and traditional horse families, children's games, bow shooting, atlatl casting, and team games. Fort Belknap Diabetes Program will be hosting the events this year. 

The efforts to revive and reenact traditional games gave power to the life-affirming expression of “What Holds Us Together.” Honoring the differences of each tribe’s expression was seen through language, movement, and skills that renewed hope for a shared survival.