Indigenous Games and Game-Based Learning: From Slahal to Strategy
D10 Chaos/Mind/Willpower — TEK8 Learning Lotus Petal Study
This is a summary. The full paper is available with complete citations.
Acknowledgment: The Slahal/Lahal rules referenced in this study were created in consultation with Elder Brother Rick, Emma Paul, and Reese Thomas. We recognize their expertise in the game and honour each of them for their generous contribution of their knowledge. (Source: 2025 Lahal Information and Rules, SD61 Indigenous Education Department)
Overview
This study examines the D10 “Play” petal of the TEK8 Learning Lotus, exploring Indigenous games and game-based learning as vehicles for developing Mind, Willpower, and strategic thinking. At its center is Slahal (also called Lahal, stickgame, bonegame, or handgame), the ancient Coast Salish guessing game that oral tradition holds was given to humanity by the Creator as an alternative to war. The study extends outward from Slahal to survey Indigenous games across cultures and synthesizes over 40 academic sources on game-based learning, social-emotional learning, and ethnomathematics.
Central argument: Play is not peripheral to learning — it is foundational. Indigenous traditions worldwide have understood this for millennia. The D10 petal honors this understanding by placing Play at the intersection of Chaos, Mind, and Willpower — precisely where genuine learning occurs.
Key Findings
Slahal/Lahal as Educational Architecture
- In Coast Salish oral tradition, the Creator gave the stick game to humanity as a way to settle disputes and serve as an alternative to war — positioning the game as a peace technology.
- Game mechanics encode multiple learning layers: probability and pattern recognition, body language reading, strategic leadership, and emotional regulation under pressure.
- Music is integral — Slahal songs average 252 beats per minute, predominantly pentatonic and in duple metre. Singing and drumming directly bridge the D10 Play petal to D12 Sound/Music.
- The 2024 Tulalip Annual Tournament attracted 142 teams; the 2025 Greater Victoria Tri-District Tournament brought together 200+ students across 20 teams. Slahal is experiencing significant cultural revitalization.
Indigenous Games Across Cultures
- Lacrosse (Haudenosaunee “Creator’s Game”): Sacred sport with healing properties; Allan Downey’s award-winning research documents its role in resisting residential school experiences and articulating Indigenous sovereignty.
- Chunkey (Mississippian cultures): Originated at Cahokia c. 600 CE; spread through trade networks across the Southeast.
- Double Ball, Shinny, Ring-and-Pin: Women’s and girls’ games challenging the erasure of female athletic traditions.
- Mancala (Africa), Pachisi (India), Go/Weiqi (East Asia), Mehen (Ancient Egypt): Cross-cultural traditions encoding sophisticated mathematical, strategic, and cosmological knowledge.
Game-Based Learning Research
- Gee (2003) identified 36 principles of “good learning” built into effective games. Salen’s Quest to Learn school demonstrated game-based curriculum producing at-or-above city averages on standardized tests.
- Hromek & Roffey (2009): Games are a powerful vehicle for social-emotional learning; Playworks reduced bullying by 43% in a randomized controlled trial.
- 7 Generation Games: Indigenous-themed math games improved learning outcomes by 30% in 10 weeks in federally funded studies.
- D’Ambrosio’s ethnomathematics framework validates the mathematical reasoning embedded in traditional games as distinct and sophisticated knowledge systems.
Practical Applications
- Classroom Slahal introduction: Cultural context first, then materials, songs, small teams, and post-play debriefing on probability, leadership, perception, and emotional regulation.
- Cross-cultural game studies unit: 8-week progression through Slahal, Mancala, Go, Pachisi, Lacrosse history, student-designed games, and a friendship tournament.
- After-school game club model: Opening circle, cultural story, skill building, competitive play, reflection journal, closing song.
- Assessment through play: Strategy articulation, probability reasoning, leadership observation, social perception, growth documentation, and cultural knowledge evaluation.
The study includes comprehensive resource lists: 8 audio/video teaching materials, 10 organizations running Indigenous games programs, 9 published curricula, 7 digital platforms, and 9 key scholarly texts.
Full document: Read Full Paper
Preliminary Draft — Open for Review
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