Lacrosse is
derived from a Haudenosaunee game of great antiquity.
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Ká:lahse'
A Haudenosaunee Tradition is an exhibit at the Shako:wi
Cultural Center that talks about the ancient game of lacrosse
and today's fast-paced game.
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Ká:lahse'
required great skill for catching, carrying and passing
a ball using only the basketlike head of a lacrosse stick.
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Played throughout the world today, the sport of lacrosse is
derived from a Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) game of great antiquity.
This game required the greatest skill for catching, carrying,
and passing a ball using only the basketlike head of the lacrosse
stick. Quickness, stamina, and strength were equally important to
play the game well.
Oneidas and other Haudenosaunee loved the game passionately
as entertainment and physical conditioning, but lacrosse also was
a religious celebration.
The Oneida Creation Story, for example, describes a Spirit World
which preceded our earth and hangs above it. The residents of that
sky land lack sickness and death. They know only happiness- possibly
because they enjoy lacrosse.
Lacrosse is pleasing to the Creator, but it is also a rite sacred
to the Thunders, the seven honored Elders (Grandfathers) who move
across the sky from west to east cleansing the earth with winds
and rains. In some Haudenosaunee communities, lacrosse is prescribed
(through a dream or by a fortuneteller) as a curing ritual.
An integral part of Haudenosaunee culture, lacrosse continues
to be played at every level of competition, from professional athletes
to the youngsters who are learning the game of their ancestors,
thus safeguarding it for the seventh generation.
The Oneida Indian Nation's Shako:wi Cultural Center, which long
has been offering visitors an in depth look at the Haudenosaunee
culture, is pleased to showcase this lacrosse exhibit: Ká:lahse'-
A Haudenosaunee Tradition.
The exhibit gives visitors a chance to look at the traditional
game originally played by the Haudenosaunee for the entertainment
of the Creator and compares it to today's fast-paced game played
across the country.
To see the new exhibit, and to see other featured items in the
Oneida collection, visit the Shako:wi Cultural Center. This project
was made possible in part by the Institute for Museum and Library
Services.
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Ká:lahse'
A Haudenosaunee Tradition is an exhibit at the Shako:wi
Cultural Center. The game of lacrosse, played by Oneida and
other Haudenosaunee, was used for entertainment and physical
conditioning. Lacrosse was also a religious celebration.
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The
process of stick making can take several months -- sometimes
longer -- to complete.
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