Table of Contents

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

About the Author

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.

Reviews

A strong contribution to Native American studies, sports history, and folklore. Choice As this book amply demonstrates, lacrosse has an impressive history and a vibrant contemporary culture. -- Alan Bairner Journal of Sports Sciences It is to Vennum's credit that he has brought these legends to a wider audience and demonstrated the relevance of what might seem at first glance unpromising territory for sport scientists. -- Alan Bairner Journal of Sports Sciences