Grass dancing is popular among Native American boys.
Before European settlers began arriving in America, Native American people were spread throughout the land. The children had ways to entertain themselves, though most of their time was spent working and helping their parents and tribes. Some of the work included hunting small animals, tending the animals or sewing. Some of the activities and games Native American children played back then are still played today on Indian reservations and at pow wows.
Pass the stone
Pass the stone is a guessing game. The children sit in a circle with two different colored balls. One child holds both balls behind their back. The child passes one ball to the child next to them. That child then guesses which colored ball they have received. If the child is correct, they then get both balls and repeat the process with the child next to them. If a child guesses incorrectly, they are no longer in the circle. The game continues until only one child is left.
Dancing
Many Native American children can be found dancing in traditional and competitive pow wows. Some of the pow wow dances are very complex, but Native American girls frequently perform the jingle dress dance. The dance is so named because the girls wear brightly colored dresses with hundreds of Copenhagen lids rolled into cones, which are attached to the fabric. The girls move to the beat of the drum. The dance itself was intended for medicinal purposes. Boys can be found performing the grass dance, in which hundreds of brightly colored ribbons or yarn are attached to a boy's garment. The ribbons or yarn represent grass and the dance he performs represents hunter or warrior movements.
Art
Native American children are encouraged to create their own works of art, incorporating Native American themes as a way to keep the culture alive. Most of the art projects children participate in include painting, drawing, bead work and pottery. These talents transfer to adulthood and include other creative endeavors, such as pow wow outfits, leather work and elaborately beaded bracelets, necklaces and earrings. Some of the more common themes in Native American children's art are horses and feathers. The horses are typically seen in drawings and paintings. The feathers can either be drawn, painted or used in bead work or pottery.
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