Plateau Region Stick Game in Beaded Deer Skin Pouches

Description

ABOUT THIS ITEM:
Skillfully made Stick Game (aka:The Hand Game) invented and played by the People of the Plateau for thousands of years up to today. The Plateau area consists of Washington, Montana, Idaho, Oregon and British Columbia.  From the research I have done, the game was played with 2 sides, 4-8 people on each side.  Each side was given two pieces of bone, one plain and one marked with black.  Each side would make a fist.  Hidden inside one of the players fist would be a plain bone, and another player would hold a bone marked in black in his fist.  The object of the game was to guess which bone piece was in the hand of the opposing team.  The sticks were used to keep score. The pouches are made of deer hide, trimmed with fringe and beads. The long pouch holds 16 sticks, 8 plain and 8 marked with black. I think the sticks are willow. The smaller pouch holds the 4 bone pieces. There are a few small spots of discoloration from use over the years.  No rips, tears, or damage to the beadwork.  This game is an item from my Mother's Native American art collection.