International Traditional Games Society

Become a "traditional games" certified instructor! 

Teachers, advisors, coaches, citizen leaders can enhance goals for:

• Healthy lifestyles

• Build cultural awareness

• Family fun and humor while connecting with traditional values

• Build spiritual connections

Individuals wishing to teach traditional games must complete our certification process. There are three levels of certification, each requiring the previous level completion. After all three are completed, participants may teach traditional games as part of Montana's "Indian Education for All" cor for their own parks, recreation, museum, or tribal programs.

Certification for teaching traditional Native games include:

•  The recommended procedures for recovering and restoring traditional games, including learning about each game's cultural significance and making the handcrafted game pieces to each game

• Connections with advisors, teachers, and coaches who use the games as tools to educate modern youth and adults

• Certification and permission to teach the many tribal games that have come into the traditional games' blanket with permission for all people to play

• Knowledge that will enhance goals for: healthy lifestyles, family fun and humor, increased connections with values of the past, developing social skills, and building spiritual connections                                                      

Who should attend?

ITGS clinics are for everyone! The games offer effective tools for healthy living across the board, applying to families, bands, clans, tribal programs, schools, colleges, museums, parks & recreation, health programs, youth programs, and more!

Since Browning Middle School teachers researched the "Blackfeet Children's Games" in 1990, many communities in Montana have found that the nature of games brings joy to classroom learning and to community events.

The American Indian games involved stories, crafting, values, history, and play. The subject areas for learning cross over from Health Enhancement into math, arts and crafts, music, social studies, and science.

The games also offer a framework of learning for those who have not been exposed to Indian culture or history. Non-native teachers have gained incredible knowledge of Native culture and history through ITGS certification clinics, always offered to various ages, ethnicities, and social-economical statuses.  

"Traditional Games Society is helping everyone to understand the traditional ways and culture. It's exposing the people, young and old, to ways that haven't been practiced for many years. It's giving us a sense of belonging and pride because these ways come from our customs and traditions. Pinamiya, thank you."

~ Sonya Smoker

St. Marks of Frazer, MT

Want to bring a clinic to your area?

Contact Us to learn more about hosting a special clinic for your employees, students, or organization.

Instructor Certification

Individuals wishing to teach traditional games must complete our certification process.

There are four levels of certification, each requiring the previous level completion.

After all levels are completed, participants may teach traditional games as part of Montana's "Indian Education for All" curriculum for Grades K-12.

LESSON PLANS / BIBLIOGRAPHY

Cajete, Greg. Spirit of the Game: Indigenous Wellsprings. Milwaukee: Kivaki Press, 2005.

Stewart Culin, Games of the North American Indians, Dover Publications

Indian Ed for All, Traditional Games Unit. Montana Office of Public Instruction