Lacrosse Legends of the First Americans

Erscheinungsjahr 2007
ISBN: 978-0-8018-8629-4
Verlag: Johns Hopkins University Press

Buch, Englisch, 184 Seiten, Paperback, Format (B × H): 156 mm x 234 mm, Gewicht: 301 g

An ancient Native American sport, lacrosse was originally played to resolve conflicts, heal the sick, and develop strong, virile men. In Lacrosse Legends of the First Americans, Thomas Vennum draws on centuries of oral tradition to collect thirteen legends from five tribes—the Cherokee, Ho-Chunk (Winnebago), Seneca, Ojibwa, and Menominee. Reflecting the game's origins and early history, these myths provide a glimpse into Native American life and the role of the "Creator’s Game” in tribal culture.

From the Great Game in which the Birds defeated the Quadrupeds to high-stakes contests after which the losers literally lost their heads, these stories reveal the fascinating spiritual world of the first lacrosse players as well as the violent reality of the original sport. Lacrosse enthusiasts will learn about game equipment, ritual preparations, dress, and style of play, from stick handling to scoring. They will discover how the "coach"—a medicine man—conjured potions to prevent game injuries or make the opponent's leg cramp as well as how early craftsmen identified the perfect tree—marked by a lightning strike—from which to carve a lacrosse stick.

The game is no longer played by large numbers of men on mile-long fields, and plastic, titanium, and nylon have replaced hickory and ash, leather, and catgut. As lacrosse continues to evolve, this collection will help us remember and understand its rich and complex history.

Autoren/Hrsg.

Vennum, Thomas Jr.

Vennum, Thomas

Fachgebiete

• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Weltgeschichte & Geschichte einzelner Länder und Gebietsräume Geschichte einzelner Länder Amerikanische Geschichte
• Sozialwissenschaften Sport | Tourismus | Freizeit Sport Ballsportarten Lacrosse
• Geisteswissenschaften Geschichtswissenschaft Geschichtliche Themen Mentalitäts- und Sozialgeschichte
• Sozialwissenschaften Ethnologie | Volkskunde Volkskunde Indigene Völker

Inhaltsverzeichnis

Acknowledgments
Introduction
1. Animals as Star Players
The Great Game in Which the Birds Defeat the Quadrupeds
A Dog's Power Beats the Old Chief
2. Game Equipment from the Upper World
The Pale Moon
Playing with an Evil Head
The First Lacrosse Ball
3. Wagers and Warriors
Playing for Heads
Wakayabide Is Killed Playing Lacrosse and Later Takes Revenge
The Warriors of the Ho-Chunk Nation Struggle on Home Turf
4. Tricksters and Culture Heroes
He Who Wears Human Heads for Earrings Defeats the Giants
Manabus Is Dogged by Waves
Why the Turkey Buzzard Has a Red Scabby Neck
5. Trees to Stop the Action
Snakes around the Neck
An Unusual Penalty Box
Conclusion
Appendix: Ethnographic Index
Bibliographic Note
Index

Über Autor(innen)

Vennum, Thomas
Thomas Vennum, senior ethnomusicologist emeritus at the Center for Folklife Programs and Cultural Studies, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., is the author of Lacrosse Legends of the First Americans. Retired and living in Tucson, Arizona, he continues research among Indian tribes in Sonora, Mexico, specifically the Seri.

Thomas Vennum is senior ethnomusicologist emeritus at the Center for Folklife Programs and Cultural Studies, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. He is the author of American Indian Lacrosse: Little Brother of War. He is retired and living in Tucson, Arizona, where he continues research among Indian tribes in Sonora, Mexico, specifically the Seri.