The evening tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 189?-190?, 1897-02-18
GAME OF TASHOLi.
Standard Form OF Amusement Among the
ZunI Indians.

Standard Form OF Amusement Among the
Zuni Indians.
A really new game-one that can bt
played with genuine interest like the old
games-is thing equally rare and desir
able. Such game Is tasholi-that Is, II
is new to all young folks living in civi
lized countries. though Il has been played
by the Indian people from time immemo
rial. Like most of the best games, it wa:
never invented by any one person, but has
gradually developed, doubtless from the
rudest beginnings, into its present form
Like most OF the best games also, 1t re
quires only the simplest and most easily
procured outfit.
Tasholi Is played both by children ano
adults among the Indians of New Mexico
The game was first brought to my notice
when visited the Organ mountains on o
sketching expedition several years ago, ano
as 1t was something altogether new to me
investigated the matter and found out
how 1t was done. The older Indians,
was told, frequently become SO absorbed ir
1t that they can play for "a hours and
more without ceasing. The equipment foi
playing tasholi consists of three sticks, 4(
pebbles and some sort of counter for each
person playing. The sticks should be OF
exactly the same size, each inches long,
inches wide and three-quarters Of ar
inch thick. They must be 80 stained OF
cOlored as TO be dark on one side and light
on the other. The 40 pebbles are ar
ranged in a circle of about 2H feet in di
ameter, placed at uniform distances, ex
cept that the starting point Is marked by
wider space. The counters may be dow.
ers, or any convenient objects that can b
easily distinguished.
The players kneel or crouch around the
outside Of the circle. The three sticks ars
grasped between thumb and fingers In
such manner as to be perpendicular.
They are then thrown down 80 as to dror
simultaneously on their lower ends as neal
the center Of the circle as possible. They
will rebound little and probably fall ir
different directions. II two turn up darb
and one light, it counts q; two light and
one dark, 8; three dark, @; three light, 10.
Either throw or 10 throw entities Shs
player to another trial. II any Of the blocks
fall outside the circle, the throw counts
nothing, and the next player takes his
turn. II four persons are playing, two be
gin at each end of the break in the circle
and play in opposite directions around tt
the other end. II two are playing, the.
also play in opposite directions. Eace
space from one pebble to another counts a.
one, and each counter is laid at the space
won by the player owning it and advanced
as the game proceeds. II the mark of one
player just meets, without passing, one Of
the others, or overtakes 1t, the latter is SET
back to the starting point If this, how
ever, is found to make the game too long
for civilized boys and girls perhaps lack
the patience of the Zuni children-it may
be modified by setting the player back only
10 OF 10 points. Among the Indians twice
around constitutes a game, but it may b<
found desirable to limit a game to one
round
1t only remains to say it is a game well
worth playing-one in which the interest
never flags from beginning to end, but
on the contrary, continually increases to
the finish, for player may seem to be OF
the very point of winning and then be set
back, while another by two or three skill
full throws, for throwing the sticks requires
skill, may unexpectedly make his way
from far in the rear to the front.-Ex
change