Chunkey gave men a way to practice their spear-throwing skills in preparation for battle. It is a two-player game and one player rolls a disc-shaped stone. Both players aim their spear and throw it where they think the stone will stop. The player whose spear lands closest to the stone's final resting place wins that round.
Cherokee hunters practiced their aim by holding blowgun dart competitions. They shoot the darts toward a target 20 yards away and award points depending on the proximity to the bullseye, just as in traditional dart games.
Digadayosdi, also known as Cherokee marbles, requires five holes approximately two inches in diameter spaced 10 to 12 feet apart in an L shape. Players take turns trying to roll their rounded stones, about the size of a modern billiard ball, toward each hole in turn. The goal is for the stone to land exactly on top of the hole in order to advance to the next hole. Players must sharpen their strategy and skills in order to knock their opponent's ball out of the way and achieve their goal.
The Cherokee used Anejodi or stickball to settle disputes with other tribes rather than going to war. Players use sticks with small rackets attached to the ends and try to maneuver the ball to hit it through the goal posts to score. An Oklahoma variation is to get the ball to hit a center pole with a wooden fish attached to the top.
Cherokee warriors and hunters would practice their bow-and-arrow aim by shooting arrows at targets made of thick sheaves of cornstalks. Archers earn points by counting how many stalks their arrows penetrate, and the first person to earn 50 points wins.
Cherokee children started training early for the eye-hand coordination of the hunt and battle with a hoop and dart game. One player would roll a wooden hoop while another attempted to throw darts through the moving target.
One of the few games played purely for social reasons, the butterbean game requires only six butterbeans and a flat basket. You can play as individuals or in teams. Color one side of each bean with a marker. On your turn, flip the basket to toss the beans. Tally up how many whites and colors are showing. Six white beans earns six points, six colored beans earns five points. Five of one color and one of the other equals four points, four and two equals three points and an equal split equals two points. The first player or team to earn 24 points wins.
When they weren't training for the hunt or sharpening their war skills, the Cherokee spent time carving one-piece stone and ceramic pipes for ceremonial and religious use. They crafted baskets out of river cane, weaving in geometric designs of white oak and honeysuckle. They carved masks for the ceremonial dances out of gourds and sculpted pots to store water and food. After the Trail of Tears cut the Cherokee off from access to their usual materials, beadwork and textile art took on greater importance. You can try your hand at carving your own pipe or mask, throwing a pot or making a basket to immerse yourself in what it would be like to live with the Cherokee.