Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1897-03-18
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 be
played with genuine interest like the old
games-is IA thing equally rare and desir
able. Such game Is tasholi-that is, 10
is new to all young folks living in civil
lied countries though IL has been played
by the Indian people from time immemo-
rial. Like most of the best games, it was
never invented by any one person, but has
gradually developed doubtless from the
rudcst beginnings, into its present form.
Like most of the best games also, IL re
quires only the simplest and most easily
procured outfit.
Tasholi is played both by children and
adults among the Indians of New Mexico.
The game was first brought To my notice
when l visited the Organ mountains on "a
sketching expedition several years ago, and
Us IL was something altogether new TO me
investigated the matter and found out
how it was done. The older Indians |
was told frequently become so absorbed in
it that they can play for "a hours and
more without ceasing. The equipment for
playing tasholi consists of three sticks, 40
pebbles and some sort of a counter for each
person playing. The sticks should be of
exactly the same size, each inches long,
inches wide and three-quarters of an
inch thick. They must be SO stained or
colored as to he dark on one side and light
Oh the other. The 40 pebbles are ar
ranged in IA circle OF about y feet in di-
ameter, placed at uniform distances, ex
cept that the starting point is marked by IA
wider space The counters may he flow
ers, or any convenient objects that can be
easily distinguished.
The players kneel or crouch around the
outside of the circle. The three sticks are
grasped between thumb and fingers in
such IA manner AS to be perpendicular.
They are then thrown down so as to drop
simultaneously on their lower ends as near
the center of the circle as possible They
will rebound "a little and probably fall in
different directions. If two turn up dark
and one light, it counts 2; two light and
one dark, 3; three dark, 3; three light, 10.
Either "a throw or II 10 throw entities the
player to another trial. If any of the blocks
fall outside the circle, the throw counts
nothing and the next player takes his
turn. If four persons are playing, two be-
gin at each end of the break in the circle
ard play in opposite directions around 10
the other end If two are playing they
also play in opposite directions. Each
space from one pebble to another counts as
one, and each counter Is laid at the space
won by the player owning it and advanced
as the game proceeds. If the mark Of one
player just meets, without passing, one Of
the others, or oyertakes IL, the latter is set
back To the starting point IL this, how
ever is found 10 make the game too long
for civilized boys and girls perhaps lack
the patience of the Xuni children--it may
be modified by setting the player back only
10 or 10 points. Among the Indians twice
around constitutes game, but it may be
found desirable to limit game to one
round.
1t only remains To say IL is u 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 Il player may seem to be on
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 DIX.
change