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Show Ute Recreation All the people in the world, no matter what their mode of existence may be, have activities which are for the enjoyment of the group. Such was the case of the Ute Indians of North America before they came into contact with the white man. The problem which hangs like a shadow over any attempt to speak of Ute recreation during this period is the fact that the only source of information is the older generation of the Ute people. Ute recreational activities included games, dances, songs, and stories. The number of these recreational activities of the Utes is so great that to discuss all of them would make this book too lengthy. Therefore only a few from each category will be discussed. The games played by the Utes varied from games of chance to athletic games in which whole bands participated. Most of the games, even the athletic games, were accompanied by betting. A game of skill which both men and women played was ball juggling in which the object was to throw two or more balls into the air at the same time and juggle them like a present-day circus clown. There is no indication that this pastime was borrowed from the whites or that any wagering was done in connection with this game. The balls were one and one-half inches in diameter. The hoop and loop game was played by persons who could throw spears or darts accurately; sometimes bows and arrows were used. A hoop was rolled on the ground in front of the participant and he would attempt to shoot his dart or spear through the loop. This was a wagering game and was played primarily by men. The game which was probably the most popular was the hand game, in which high stakes were won and lost. A row of players sat facing each other on either side of a shelter. Before each player was a bundle of sticks six to eight inches long and pointed at one end. They were his wagering sticks. Two cylindrical bone dice approximately two inches in length and one-half inch in diameter were used; one was white and the other was either black or had a black band. All the players swayed to and fro to accompanying music and chants. One player on one side held a die in each hand, and placing one hand above the other, allowed the one in the top hand to pass through to his lower |