LEADUP TO HOLIDAY: Contests begin for traditional games tournament

Cherokee National Holiday is always held on Labor Day weekend, and the playoffs to determine who competes in the traditional games tournament the weekend before the celebration have begun.

Anyone can try out for stickball shootout, chunkey, blowgun, marbles, hatchet throwing, horseshoes and cornstalk shoot, said Crystal Walters, Cherokee National Holiday director.

“We go around the 14 counties and then we have a championship, so these games are considered the qualifiers,” Walters said. “We do these once a month – April, May, June and July – and then the weekend before Cherokee Holiday, we will have the championship at One Fire Field again.”

Mary HorseChief vied in the blowgun competition in the first round April 13 and won the “golden ticket,” meaning she automatically progresses to the Holiday tournament.

“About 2017 was when a bunch of the cornstalkers got together cause we wanted to bring back chunkey, so we made our own sticks and then started making rules so we could compete with each other,” HorseChief said.

The Cherokee Nation wanted to do the games and they have always wanted to promote stickball, HorseChief said.

“The idea was, if we did it in a bunch of communities, more people would learn, and the whole idea is to promote the culture,” HorseChief said.

Perry Van Buskirk, a bow maker, was the scorekeeper in the blowgun competition. Van Buskirk is a National Treasure for bow making and weapons.

“[I’ve been making bows] since I was a teenager,” Van Buskirk said. “I make marbles, blowguns, rock sling, chunkeys.”

Learning how to put the “fluff” on the dart is important, Van Buskirk. The dart is made from twisted river cane.

Mitchell Smith competed in horseshoes and has been playing most of his life. He enjoys the games for more than the competition, and said he likes meeting new people and making friends. He is confident he will progress to the tournament.

Josh Mouse ran the stickball shootout in the tournament this year.

“The pole we are using is the Choctaw style for a one-on-one competition between shooters,” Mouse said. “Kids ages 13 and under in one bracket, and we have a women’s and men’s league.

Mouse said those who don’t qualify for the tournament are eligible to go to the other playoffs held around the counties. Next month’s playoffs are going to be held at the Sequoyah Cabin in Sallisaw, Mouse said.

Jackson McDonald is new to stickball and is a lacrosse player and a senior in high school. His father, Brian McDonald, said it is a special game and he’s glad Jackson was able to participate.

“LaCross is a lot like stickball, but there’s just one stick and the head of it is wider,” Jackson said.

Kaleb Proctor is a member of the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians and plays stickball, but was not competing.

“’Little Brother of War’ is the translation of stickball,” Proctor said. “There was no reason to have all that war.”

Stickball was played to settle differences like hunting grounds, and each tribal town would have its own ball pole, Proctor said.

“The worldview was not to have that intention in your heart, and even now, if you start to have anger, you have to sit out,” Proctor said. “So whoever you are teamed up with of equal size and skill would have to sit out because it’s about balance.”

Proctor shows up at the events to share deeper meanings of life ways – the worldview. Proctor is a world traveling “messenger” and he considers that his responsibility.

“I had good mentors who showed me how I could be a good community member and take care of my people,” Proctor said. “The games had to be secret before.”

Proctor considers the games as the “gateway” for Natives to learn about their history and traditions.