More than just a game

PABLO — Piles of long wooden sticks, buckets of sand, string, skins, rocks, paints, needles and beads… all were materials scattered across the tables and floor of the Joe McDonald Health and Fitness Center cafeteria Thursday and Friday in Pablo. Instructors with the International Traditional Games Society, based in Great Falls, visited the college for a two-day workshop that highlighted 63 traditional Native games from all across the country. Teachers, students and family members from Arlee to Elmo participated in the certificate program, which required them to study the complete curriculum of each game: it’s rules, equipment, stories and songs. Then, it was time to make all the pieces from scratch and play.