[originaltext] The games of a culture can help us understand a great deal ab

The games of a culture can help us understand a great deal about their history, religion, and belief system. The Indians revealed a great deal about themselves by playing games. Almost all Indians, regardless of their age, gender, or physical condition, played games.
    Women played games as much as men, but they usually played separately from the men and had different games. Children also played games. As a matter of fact, they often played the same games that their parents enjoyed.
    Most of the games had a religious meaning. Many of the tribes used the games to train warriors and to win honors. As the years wore on, that meaning was lost but the game continued to be played.
    Many Indians enjoyed shooting arrows as a sport. They used many varieties of targets, including pieces of bark, women grass, or an arrow stuck in a tree. Quieter amusements included games of chance. For example, pieces of cloth would be used to cover various items determined by one person. The other person would randomly choose one of the hidden items. His or her choice would reveal their past as well as their future. Other popular games were guessing games. For instance, it would require a group to guess the number of rocks in a certain area. Then they would count the actual number and rank the people who guessed according to how close they came to the actual number.