9th Koasek Snow Snake Games
Alstead, NH Town Green
11 Feb. 2023 – 10 AM
17 February 2008 Winter.
Koasek First Snow Snake Game
Randolph Vermont after 300 years.
All Ages invited. Alcohol/Drug Free Environment
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Present by
Ko'asek (Co'wasuck)Traditional Band of the Sovereign Abenaki Nation
49 Pleasant St. #106, Alstead, NH 03602
https://koasekabenakination.com/
Sponsored by
Koasek of Turtle Island, Inc
501/3 Non-Profit
Location
Millot Green - 15 Mechanic St., Alstead, NH
(In back of town hall and next to police station)
A Free Event
Copy right © 2022-23
TSOHEAC, (Ps8-Skog) THE SNOWSNAKE GAME
The snow snake game is played throughout North America wherever there is enough snow to warrant it. Most Native American snow snakes are quite long, from four to as long as ten feet, often thrown down a special lane made in the snow. The Abenaki game and snow snakes are somewhat different from the general pattern. Snow snakes are recorded by Euroamerican observers from the Passamaquoddy and Penobscot people and the Abenakis at Norridgewok, Maine. Most of the snow snakes of Wôbanakik are shorter than those of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) or more western native people (Games, mudcat [short] snow snake). Except for an exceptional five to seven foot example from the Passamaquoddy people, and a short Penobscot 14 1/2" long example, most snow snakes are 18"-24" long. Among the numerous shapes are two named varieties, the spoon mouth (called mquon in Passamaquoddy) and snake head (called atosis in Passamaquoddy). Some have a pewter or lead weight cast into the head (Games, snow snake head). These are fine wood shop projects. Make the snakes from maple, birch or ash about 7/7" - 1" wide by 1/2"- 5/8" thick. Carving is optional but does not improve the distance of the throw. I have made mine longer, about 3 feet long, so they will be more competitive with other native Nations' snow snakes, but the design is up to you.
MAKING THE SNOWSNAKE
The design presented here is adapted from published Maine examples. The snowsnakes are very easy projects, using dimensional lumber and requiring but little carving expertise.
BILL OF MATERIALS
1. Hardwood lumber/dowel 7/8ths" X 48". (We use Hardware dowls 4 feet long)
INSTRUCTIONS
1. With a pocketknife, whittle the snowsnake head to the shape shown in the photograph.
2. With a hand plane direfully plane the rest ot the snow snake to a triangular cross section.
3. Taper the end and sand the snow snake.
4. With a small gouge, carve in the head design and body designs.
5. Final sand, stain and varnish the snow snakes as you wish.
Basic Snow Snake
Please come and enjoy the Abenaki winter games and learn our rich culture. You may find that your inner feelings are calling you and after the right questions asked, you may find you to have Native American ancestors.
The play:
If someone is interested in playing snow snakes, he goes through the village crying the name of the snow snake game in the local dialect. People who are interested join him, bringing their snow snakes. The group proceeds to a place with a hard flat crust of snow. The snow snakes glide best on such a surface. Often contestants will make a straight groove in the snow by dragging a log. Each player advances to the throwing point one at a time. Calling the name of the snow snake and giving a quick throwing motion as if skipping a stone over the water, he skips it as far as it will go. Every person has their own hold, some hold the back, with my index finger against the end. Some use a side-arm throw. Some may not be good at it but the fun is rewarding, even sometimes missing the runway entirely. The next person moves to the station and throws. At the end of the first round, the snow snakes are upended in the snow to serve as their own markers, and the second round commences. Among the Penobscot’s, the furthest stick wins all the rest. The winner gathers up the bundle of snow snakes and with a yell throws them up in the air. The other players scramble to recover their (or what they perceive as the best) snow snake.
Ps8-Skog Games (Snow-Snake)
The snow snake game has been played throughout North America for one thousand years or more, wherever there is enough snow to warrant it. Most Native American snow snakes are quite long, from four to as long as ten feet, often thrown down a special lane made in the snow. They are usually made of a foot or more long pile of snow 100-200 yards long, and some even up to one mile. A long is placed on the top of the snow and dragged the entire length back and forth until you have a smooth gutter for the snakes to go down. It is by no means downhill, but follows the rise and dip of the land. Since the course is frequently laid out by the edge of a road, the trough often contains many curves.km
The object of the game is to throw your "snake" along the trough at a really fast speed. Teams alternated tosses. The distance that your snake traveled was added to your team score. Whichever side had the longest total distance or the best score was the winner. The idea to bring the games back was from past Chief Brian Chenevert in 2008 and approved and set up by the Koasek Tribe.
Our Program
Our Snow Snake Game plans are to have our sacred fire for our ancestors, and our cold bones. A smudging/blessing will take place and a good native yell to send our competitors off to the games.
We hope to break down the groups of players into ages. Prizes will be corn husk dolls, maple syrup, and possibly cash. We may think of other ways to play off with groups. There will be some candy gifts too.
You must be prepared to dress warm with gloves and scarfs and good shoes. Bring something to drink, chairs, snakes, etc.
We may have drum music and songs.
Come and enjoy a fun time and part of our culture.
