Native Americans 1700's - 1800's
Native American life
Games
One game played among Native Americans was Ring & Pin. A pin was tied on one end of the cord and a ring as tied at the end of the other one. The toy was made out of materials such as animal bone and hair. It was a popular game with women and children. The object of the game was to toss the ring in the air and try to catch it with the pin. This game could also be used for social purposes, for example, a young man could introduce himself to a young women by asking her if she wanted to play a came of Ring and Pin. If she was interested in him she's accept, but if not she would decline. Each person gets a two turns maximum before passing it off to the other. Another version, called ecagoo, can have up to 2000 players where six deer toe bones are used and the everyone has ten turns each trying to get the most pins.
A traditional toy used by Penobscot children consisted of a stiff piece of birch bark cut into a triangular shape, with a hole in the center. To one corner of the bark triangle is attached a string, and a ball is attached to the other end of the string. The circular hole in the center of the bark triangle is made only slightly larger than the ball attached to the string. Children grasp a corner of the triangle opposite the string, toss the ball into the air, and the object of the game is to get the ball to drop through the hole in the bark.
Medicine
Native Americans took mental spiritual and physical health very seriously. They often had rituals and herbs to try and help heal someone. They also had sweat lodges to cleanse the soul. They used charms were to be worn around the sick person.