Gooniikaa-Ginebig and Other Games See Resurgence

There has been a recent movement among Anishinaabe communities to bring their traditional games back to the public’s attention. In February alone there were two large-scale events centered around these games — one at UMD’s Bagley Nature Area and another in Bemidji. The games hold significant meaning to the Anishinaabe and they hope to share that meaning with people around the globe. These games have attracted people from all over Minnesota, Michigan, Wisconsin and parts of Canada who are looking to find out exactly what the winter games are. 

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Frank Sprague throwing his snow snake at a rolling hoop on frozen Lake Bemidji. The Indigenous Winter Games were held near Paul Bunyan Park on February 24 and 25. (Photo taken by Seth Roeser on 2/25/23)

Michael Cisneros demonstrating how to properly throw a Gooniikaa-Ginebig, or snow snake. The objective of this game is to slide your snow snake as far as you can. (Bagley)(Photo taken by Seth Roeser on 2/17/23)

Kelly Iceman winds up his snow snake throw. The Bemidji games utilized a built up snow ramp for their snow snake distance competition. (Photo taken by Seth Roeser on 2/25/23)

Wayne Valliere (right) started the Ojibwe Winter Games in 2010. He is demonstrating how to properly handle a spear for students from the Harbor City International School who were on a field trip there. (Photo taken by Seth Roeser on 2/17/23)

A student from Harbor City International School (left) and Wayne Valliere (right) participating in Dakobijigan-Minawa Zhiimaagan, also called hoop and spear. (Photo taken by Seth Roeser on 2/17/23)

Another angle of the Dakobijigan-Minawa Zhiimaagan game. The color of the netting the spear passes through determines how many points the throw is worth. (Photo taken by Seth Roeser on 2/17/23)

Another game brought to UMD was the Apaginaatig. Commonly known as the atlatl, Wayne Valliere says the Ojibwe people hunted with it for generations. (Photo taken by Seth Roeser on 2/17/23)