Come Out and Play – Cowboys and Indians
Life in Iceland is traditionally quite challenging and there is a very small population. There are larger cities now, but traditionally the lives of Icelandic people revolved around farming. The large island is located far north in the Atlantic Ocean so it has short summers and harsh winters. This makes it important to be as efficient with food as possible. Icelanders must make what they grow during the short summer last all winter long. Out of necessity, Icelandic people would eat every bit of the animals that they raised and sheep heads became a delicacy. It then became common for families to save the sheep’s jawbone. Children would use the jawbone to play a game similar to “Cowboys and Indians.” • This is similar to the American game. • This game became popular in Iceland around the 1940s. • The jawbone is used as the prop gun when playing. • To play cowboys and Indians you need two even groups of children. • One group plays the cowboys; one group plays the Indians, you can even dress up to represent each side. • The game should be played outside somewhere — like a park or backyard. • One team defends a landmark and the other team attacks. • Both teams use their fingers and “shoot” at each other by pointing and saying bang. • If you are “shot” you are out. • The goal is to stay hidden and avoid being shot by using things like bushes as cover. • The team that still has members in the game at the end wins. • The groups then switch who is attacking and who is defending. • The more dramatic the better. • Be sure to have adult supervision! This game is all about imagination. It can use as little or as much equipment, props or costumes as you would like. This game can take place anywhere, a Native American village, a wagon train, a ranch full of cattle. The story is completely up to you! The more effort and imagination that is put into the game he more fun it will be!
