...This chapter focuses on the utilization of anetso as a cultural presentation of identity and also treats the prevalent notion of cultural degeneration that in the past has been endemic to scholars of First Nations cultures. It contextualizes events in the first several decades of the twentieth...

...Anetso, a centuries-old Cherokee ball game still played today, is a vigorous, sometimes violent activity that rewards speed, strength, and agility. At the same time, it is the focus of several linked ritual activities. Is it a sport? Is it a religious ritual? Could it possibly be both? Why has...

...This book discusses the constellation of ceremonial activities that constitute the Cherokee anetso complex, including the proper Cherokee linguistic terminology. It notes that anetso, like several other single- and double-racket ball games played by First Nations or Native American...

...This chapter is an examination of anetso as an expression of Cherokee identity during the period between 1799 and 1836, beginning with the entrance of Christian missionaries into the Cherokee Nation and concluding with the forced removal known as the Trail of Tears. It uses written accounts from...

...This chapter considers two main points: 1) What are the “meanings” of anetso, according to cultural consultation and scholarly investigation; and 2) What is the history of scholarship regarding the game/ritual divide? It interrogates the work of Stewart Culin and Claude Levi-Strauss, along...