Hobbies And Interests
Ball Games
The Tocobaga undoubtedly played a version of a regional ball game, similar to soccer. Spanish writers of the time described the game: A small ball was kicked around the playing field by the teams of 40 to 50 men. The object was to kick the ball into a goalpost. One point was scored if the ball hit the goal. If the ball landed on top of the post, two points were earned. Eleven points won the game. The game was rough and people could get hurt or even get killed. A village would contact another village to play the game; betting was common and fierce. These games could last all day. According to an 1883 Smithsonian ethnologist, Frank Hamilton Cushing, the Tocobaga likely also played a game called ̶0;Hidden Ball,̶1; a guessing game with the ball hidden under tubes. The game was played by nearly all pre-Columbian tribes, no matter how widespread.
Games of Chance
Besides the games of dexterity, speed and strength, gambling games were common among the adults. A version of bowl and dice kept the adult Tocobaga entertained in their leisure time. Native Tech carries a description of the game: Bowl and Dice involved a number of dice -- created from bone, wood, antler or stone -- painted on one side. The dice were placed in the bowl, then tossed in the air. Points or markers in the form of counting sticks were awarded to the players to keep track of the score. Another game that attracted betting was the ring and pin game, where a piece of leather had holes punched in it. Attached to the leather was a rawhide cord at the end of which was a stick. The game consisted of tossing the leather piece in the air and trying to get the stick through one of the holes in the leather.
Children's Games
Children of all cultures play games, including the Tocobaga. Many kid games consisted of adult activities on a smaller scale. Archery, running, ball games and hide and seek were games played by children. Many children̵7;s games taught them how to develop the skills and dexterity they would need as adults. While Tocobaga kids didn̵7;t have a lot of toys, they did have smaller versions of adult tools, such as bows and arrows, spear-throwers and axes. Little Tocobaga girls made dolls for themselves, creating clothing for the dolls as their mothers made clothing for them.
Board Games
Many Native American tribes played board games, and variations were known to nearly all Indian tribes who traded with each other. The Native Tech website describes a number of board games common to most Indian tribes. One such game was ̶0;Hunting Animals,̶1; where one player has white markers and the other player has black markers (the markers could be nearly anything -- painted shells, for instance, as the Tocobaga had plenty of shells). The markers are placed on opposite sides of the board which had intersecting lines drawn, and small holes for the markers. The players can move or jump in any direction. When a player̵7;s marker is jumped, he loses that marker to the other. This game was very similar to checkers.