Home >> Games & Cards >> Games

Games of the Quileute Indians

The Native American people called the Quileute call the western part of Washington state home, residing mostly in La Push as of 2011. These days, their tribal lands feature a marina and resort, but the Quileutes have lived in the Pacific Northwest for even longer than the area has been known as Washington. Like all Native American groups, they developed their own games and entertainment.

Fsa'fsá'wafs
- The Quileute played Fsa'fsá'wafs with arrowheads probably much like these.
  
  Fsa'fsá'wafs, which means "rolling," is an ancient game played by the Quileute, but little is known about it. The game traditionally involved wheeling a ring twined with grass down a hill. The players tried to hit the grass with arrows but keep the ring rolling, and every hit counted as a full point. The Quileute host an annual games festival in La Push, but fsa'fsá'wafs isn't played during the event.
Sla-Hal
- To win Sla-Hal -- a betting game also known as Stick Game or Bone Game -- players must guess correctly the location of "bones." Ancient winnings included blankets, clothing, shawls, horses, and more, but modern-day prizes can be worth thousands of dollars, according to the Pueblo of Laguna Department of Education's 4Directions website.
  
  In the game, the players sit across from each other in two teams. The team leaders gets one marked and one unmarked "bone" game piece, and begins a song, accompanied by players who drum and pound tally sticks to keep track of the score. The leader chooses two people to hide the bones behind their backs and pass them around the circle, not letting the other team see. If the opposing team leader correctly guesses the location of the unmarked bone, it's his team's turn. The game employs sticks that serve as points for guesses, and the victorious team's members share the winnings.
Quileute Days
- The annual Quileute Days in La Push feature traditional foods, as well as Sla-hal for big winnings, and American games, such as Bingo. Because a member of the community, actor Gil Birmingham, was in the "Twilight" franchise's "New Moon," the 2010 games featured a Jacob Black and Bella Swan (two characters from the movie) look-alike contest.
Quileute Nation
- The Quileute Nation's village and resort is located in the lush greenery of Washington state.
  
  The small Quileute community operates by Tribal Council, with discussion groups and events planned and attended by those within and outside the population. The nation launched an effort in 2007 to re-introduce its traditional language for those who live in La Push to use in everyday life, providing members of the community with learning materials and resources "through informal classes, email and computer CDs."

Games