Inuit Games:

Tug-o-War, Inuit Style

GALLERY

Blanket Toss

Originally a large durable blanket was made by sewing together several walrus hides. The blanket was about 10 to 12 feet wide. One player would sit or stand in the middle of the blanket, and a group of twenty or thirty players would spread out around the blanket and vatapult the middle person high into the air.

Toe Jump

Take off your shoes, squat down, and grasp the toes on each foot with the hand on the same side. By extending your bent knees, try to jump forward as far as you can, landing in balance, without letting go of your toes. For an added challenge, try the Tandem Toe jump with a partner. Partners stand side by side (like in a 3-legged run), squat down together, and jump at the same time. Here's the clincher. With his outside hand, one partner grasps the toes on his outside foot but his inside hand grasps the toes of his partner's inside foot. Partners may or may not have to cross their inside legs. A little coordination and trust are needed to get this one together.

 

Knee Walk

Just what it seems. You really do try to walk on your knees, but first you have to be able to balance on them. Kneel down on the grass or ground, keeping your back straight. Lift your heels toward your rump, and grasp each foot in front of the ankle. You should now be balanced on the top of your kneecaps. See if you can move forward a few knee steps. To start, make it a little easier by grabbing the back of your pants leg instead of the front of your ankle. You can try this one with your partner, too. Just get side by side and grab your own ankle with one hand and your partner's ankle with the other. See if you can figure out a way to do the Knee Walk in a small group

You'll be lucky to go three inches on the first try of Toe Jump, but keep trying...and keep laughing. Imagine a roomful of toe jumpers! Despite the grass-stained knees, the padding of grass will make the Knee Walk easier on little one's noses as they crash land.

 

IGLAGUNERK

An Inuit laughing game. Each player faces a partner, generally holding each other's hands. At an agreed-upon signal everyone begins to laugh. The partners who laugh the hardest and longest are declared the winners. Because laughter is so contagious, people sometimes end up rolling on the ground!

 

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