Missouri State University’s Dr. William Meadows has published a new book exploring the culture and history of the Native handgame tradition.

Meadows is a professor of anthropology in the Department of Sociology, Anthropology and Gerontology.

“The Handgame of the Kiowa, Comanche, and Apache: Spirited Competition on the Southern Plains,” is an ethnic study that documents a previously unexplored topic, Meadows explained. “I’ve played this game off and on for a little over 30 years, but always with the goal in mind of doing an ethnography on it. It is a subject that no one has taken the time to deal with.”

The subject interested him theoretically because handgame is not just a “game of chance.” It requires “keen observation” of human behavior, psychology, mathematics and spiritual belief, he argues,

“The handgame constitutes its own arena of social activity in tribal communities,” Meadows writes in his book. “It is just as important and traditional as other Native cultural institutions such as the powwow or sweat lodge ceremonies.”

From observer to player

As part of his broader research on Indigenous cultures, Meadows conducted field work from 1993-2023. He interviewed individuals from the Kiowa, Comanche, Plains Apache, Cheyenne, Arapaho, Crow, Ponca, Wichita, Delaware and Fort Sill Apache communities.

During this period, Meadows interviewed Bill Koomsa, Jr., who introduced him to the game.

“They were hosting the Crows, and he invited me to one of the games to look on, enjoy it and everything,” Meadows said. “Once you see it, it’s such a lively, peppy game, it’s really addictive.”

After that, Meadows continued to play so frequently, one family invited him to join their team.

Playing the game

Players sit on two sides facing one another. One side will hide game pieces, typically small bone tubes, while someone from the other side tries to correctly guess them.

The hiding team drums and sings, and in some communities, women shake rattles. Team members use hand signs to guess. This tradition allowed tribes to play regardless of spoken language.

A set of wooden sticks keeps score for the two teams.

Understanding historical and cultural origins

In his book, Meadows explains the historical origins of the game and its popularity.

Handgame is a hiding and guessing activity associated with drumming, singing, gambling and beliefs in medicine or power, Meadows explained. Its origins connect back to tribal mythologies. Archaeological projects have identified gaming pieces dating back to the Archaic era, he added.

Over time, the Kiowa, Comanche, Apache and Crow tribes formed a political and cultural alliance. “They’re all different languages, different cultures, but they were historic allies, and they ended up on the same reservation together,” Meadows said.

There are different regional styles of play, he added. They differ in the number of hiding implements, rules and points available. In addition, everyone can play the game, from children to the oldest elders in the tribe, male and female. “It’s something that involves everybody, so I think that makes it really inclusive and popular.”

In addition, handgame was originally only played during the winter. “This was a game they played in the teepee by a fire. It was recreational, to pass the time,” Meadows said.

Treasured because it survives

Meadows attributes handgame’s continued popularity to its survival.

“This is the oldest traditional game and it’s about the only one they really still have there,” he said. “It’s also a symbol of their past, their tradition, their continuation. And it’s a fun, social interactive game.”

And then there’s the music. Meadows said the music has a therapeutic quality to it.

“You can be literally in pain and go to a handgame or a powwow and you forget about your pain,” he said. The music and drumming engage participants to the point they temporarily forget their pain.

“So that’s why I say it’s much more complex than just the hiding and guessing game,” Meadows explained. “The handgame community is one big subculture. It’s about getting to see all your friends and your cohorts frequently, and interact and have a good time.”

Research surprises

Meadows was surprised by his research, which revealed the extent to which the game embraces strategy.

“The game is a hiding and guessing game, accompanied with drumming and singing and rattles and everything, but it also has a certain amount of mathematical odds and percentages,” he explained.

As an example, Meadows recalled when a Comanche friend explained the importance of observational skills to winning the game.

“I’m going to give you some pointers,” the friend said, then immediately described all of Meadows playing patterns. “You’re too predictable,” the friend said. “You have to remember to outthink the guesser while you’re hiding.”

“And so I came to realize the ones who are the most frequent guessers, they’re very good at memorizing mathematical patterns,” Meadows said.

Immersive teaching opportunities

Meadows has used handgame culture to train his students in ethnographic field work. In some instances, he accompanies students to Oklahoma for six weeks of intensive field work training experience.

“We live in the community and we do everything they do: their dances, their ceremonies, religious services and things like that, secular dances, tribal government, programs and language camps,” he said.

The game’s quick action, strategy, music and camaraderie immediately impress students, Meadows said. They then immerse themselves in the game, sketching and mapping the setting, learning rules and traditions. Later, they write a reflective piece as part of their class assignment.

Students quickly recognize that the game represents community and tradition, Meadows added. “They pick up that it’s a very tight community of friendship and joking and teasing, because everybody knows everybody in the handgame world. And so, they pick up on a whole cultural element that they were unaware of.”

Learning by doing: the annual powwow

Another immersive teaching experience Meadows uses is the annual powwow, which is held every November in the gymnasium of Missouri State’s Greenwood Laboratory School.

This fall he is teaching a second block course combining anthropology field work and service learning components (Anthropology 397 and 309). He will incorporate the 2025 powwow as a course assignment, with students assisting with running the event.

“I turned it into a class project where we have some things in class, but they actually come and get to see it,” he said. “We have about 4 1/2 weeks of the class, then we get to do the powwow. And then we have another class and a test at the end.”

The 2025 powwow is scheduled for Nov. 15. It is free and open to the public.

A new award and future projects

Meadows has received numerous awards for his research and teaching efforts. This spring, he was honored yet again by the Reynolds College of Arts, Social Sciences and Humanities (RCASH). Meadows was recognized at the fourth annual Judy Awards with the Outstanding Research in the Social Sciences Award.

“It was a nice surprise,” he said. “I was very excited and happy to get it. It was a real nice evening.”

Meanwhile, Meadows continues to research and write. He already has another book on World War II Navaho Code Talkers nearing publication. In this book, he examines the impacts of mistaken identity, capture, and long-term repercussions on Navaho Code Talker veterans.