Native Games
R.E.D., in collaboration with NASU of SOU and the Ashland Youth Council, will host our annual Native Games Event March 20, kicking off at Noon (with a Women's Community Meeting at 9:45 a.m. and the field "open" to help and set-up all morning).
Location: the SOU practice baseball fields on the corners of Walker Ave. and Iowa St. in Ashland. Please park at the Ashland Middle School, then cross Walker Ave. over to the fields.
Native stickball games were played in many different forms across indigenous America. The style we've adopted for our community is called "shinny." It is played with long, hooked sticks and a "double-ball" that is used to score. Similar to lacrosse, it involves running the field with your team trying to make a goal (which entails touching the double-ball to one of the goal posts). It can be played at many levels--from kids learning how to play safely to friendly (and sometimes serious!) competition. We are encouraging youth in our region to come and learn how to play! You don't need to know how--our event on March 20 is set up as a hands-on/feet-on workshop to learn the game. We'll provide the equipment and instruction/mentoring. Any kids under 18 need to have a legal guardian sign a release waiver (SOU regulation, please).
The purpose of sharing these stickball games, along with some other fun games we'll have at this event, is to promote health and wellness within our community, within ourselves. March 20 makes the Equinox and the first day of spring--a time to come back out and play, be physical, enjoy the re-emergence into our physicality. Native stickball gaming is unique in that is has very few rules and focuses more on learning to play with respect for your teammates and opponents. Without the constraint of having many rules, respect and skill is learned on very different levels than we are accustomed to in mainstream society. There is an indigenous "artform" to learning to play this way that is fulfilling on a deeper, spiritual level.
We welcome you--all ages and levels of playing--to come and check it out! Please help support our youth. . ."help our youth excel!" (H.O.Y.E.) Many older folks play too, so please note this is open to ALL! The event is free to the public and as with all our events, we are alcohol and drug free.
Games kick off at Noon on Saturday, March 20. If you'd like to play, please be on the field by around 11 a.m. to sign up and form a team with others.
Community feast at 5 p.m. and playing until dark!
For more information, please contact us on our email:
Or call:
541-941-5989, 541-890-3529, 541-201-8101
And also note NASU hosts weekly practices (most weeks, depending on weather), Sundays in Lithia Park (grassy area near lower duck pond) at 1 p.m.. We've got two practices left before the Games event!