300-year-old game rooted in Native American tradition, stickball revival spreads across Choctaw Nation
DURANT (CBSNewsTexas) — A Native American game rooted in tradition, honor, and family is seeing a revival across the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
"Stickball" or "Ishtaboli" as it's known to members of the Choctaw Nation is a game that dates back to time immemorial. Tribal historians say it's at least 300 years old, since the beginning of the Choctaw Nation.
While it was widely used as recreation, stickball also served a more serious purpose in its early days according to Dr. Ian Thompson, a Choctaw Nation tribal historian.
Dr. Thompson said, "Sometimes the game was used as an alternative to going to war in terms of settling disputes. It was a lot more peaceful way to do that."
The objective of the game, which is played on a large field with two teams using sticks with a web or "Kapucha's" is to carry, pass, and throw a ball at a goal post on either side of the field in order to score.
It's similar to modern day lacrosse, but it has many elements of other sports including soccer and even football.
Using the game as a conflict resolution tool is something Jared Tom, a stickball coach and Choctaw member says helps him connect with his culture.
He said, "We had to find a way to settle disputes differently. That was our big picture. We're losing too many lives too many of our own people for something that could be resolved another way."
Stickball players and historians alike say within the last decade the popularity of the game has spiked dramatically. One of the reasons for that increase in interest they said is due to how inclusive the game has become.
People of all ages, sexes, and even backgrounds are invited to play in the many exhibitions or tournaments that are held throughout the year.
Tom added, "The biggest win for us is keeping the game alive. Keeping it going. I think that's the rich part of our game."
There's an exhibit dedicated to explaining the game to others at the Choctaw Cultural Center in Durant.
For those who promote the game, they said it's an easy gateway to other aspects of Choctaw and more widely Native American culture.