While looking up traditional games from Australia, I stumbled upon this fantastic online resource called Yulunga Traditional Indigenous Games from the Australian Sports Commission. It provides an online card set that features games played by Australian Aborigines from all over the continent. Unfortunately, I was supposed to study all of Oceania with my students this past few months. Still, there were so many awesome games I couldn’t help myself, and we spent the whole time studying Australia. Next time I will ensure to get in plenty of Indigenous sports from New Zealand, Tonga, Fiji, Samoa, Papa New Guinea, and the many Polynesian Islands in the area.

One of the things that Aborigines prided themselves in was their ability to tell stories. In fact, all of their art was just considered a medium for storytelling. They were masters at using stories to become walking encyclopedias and atlases, memorizing the terrain of Australia and knowing so much about the flora and fauna of their territories. I wanted to honor this tradition by choosing games that I could clearly make a story and connection to a hunting and gathering skill. I wanted the students to imagine themselves doing the activity the game represented while they played it. Australian Aborigines had an inherent understanding that we learn the best when having fun and playing. I don’t think it is by chance that so many of their games practiced necessary skills for hunting and gathering. I think the Aborigines knew that teaching through games efficiently got children to practice and perfect their skills.

In this game called Boojur Kombang, some students will hide tennis balls while other students look for them while avoid being tagged. This game would traditionally be played on a beach, so it represents looking for crabs and other food on a beach. If an adult showed a child how to find a crab and then said to practice looking for crabs, the child would quickly become bored soon after. However, suppose the child is taught how to look for food on the beach with a game. In that case, they will practice it over and over again naturally without any additional prodding. My students loved it and would have played for hours on end.

These games, invented thousands of years ago by their ancestors, are essential to Indigenous peoples because it reconnects them with their culture. By playing these traditional Aboriginal games, you will help your students expand their knowledge of Aboriginal culture. They will also get a healthy dose of empathy as they realize these games are vital for teaching skills required to live in some of the harshest climates on Earth. Many of these Aboriginal games are similar to many sports worldwide. We realize that even though people can live thousands of miles apart, we are more similar than we are different.

Materials: 

·      As many cones as you can get

o   You want cones that are taller and don’t have an opening on the top

·      Two to three tennis balls

·      Hula hoops, if it is being played outside

Minimum Number of Students Needed: This game needs at least four to five players. If you have a lot of cones and a vast play space, this number could be a lot more. Otherwise, subbing students in and out each round works well.

Age: All Ages