About
Guessing Games
Games of the "subjective" class, designated as guessing games,
were generally accompanied by singing. There is a great variety
in the games of this class, and five examples drawn from different
Native American games of this character do not always depend
so much on chance as on the quickness of vision and skilful manipulation
by the players. In games of this class the Native Americans never
make random motions, all their movements, whether of the body,
the feet, the hands or arms, being always in strict accord with
the accompanying song, while the drama implied in the game is
acted out, at the same time, more or less clearly. In these games
the Native American players seem to be impelled by a common rhythmic
and dramatic impulse, making a unity that enhances the interest
and pleasure excited by the game.
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