While looking up traditional games from Australia, I stumbled upon a fantastic online resource called Yulunga Traditional Indigenous Games from the Australian Sports Commission. It provides an online card set that features games played by Australian Aborigines from all over the continent. There were so many games that it was hard to choose from, but I found several games that I felt I could adapt and replicate in my PE classroom. On face value, they have simple rules and are easy to understand, but once you start playing them, it becomes apparent how much strategy can also be involved.

One of the things that Aborigines prided themselves in was their ability to tell stories. In fact, all of their art was just considered a medium for storytelling. They were masters at using stories to become walking encyclopedias and atlases, memorizing the terrain of Australia and knowing so much about the flora and fauna of their territories. I wanted to honor this tradition by choosing games that made a connection to replicating life skills needed to survive that I could also make a story from. I wanted the students to imagine themselves doing the activity the game represented while they played it. Australian Aborigines had an inherent understanding that we learn best when having fun and playing. I don't think it is by chance that so many of their games practiced necessary skills for hunting and gathering. I think the Aborigines knew that teaching through games efficiently got children to practice and perfect their skills.

When the students are studying Oceania, and we play these Aboriginal Games, I always make sure to remind them of different Aboriginal inventions, art forms like dot painting, and the concept of "Dreamtime." Reminding students of all these things helps flesh out their concept and empathy for Aboriginal people. Maybe the best compliment or reward I got for my efforts was a student bringing a book about Australia to PE class to show me the chapter on Aborigines.

One of these games is called Tarnambai, which is basically a game of fetch. A player from each team throws the ball as far as they can, and two runner players try to retrieve it as quickly as possible. The first person to get their ball and return to the group wins the race. The team with the most individual wins would win the overall game. This game can become very strategic. How teams line themselves up against their opponent could dramatically change the outcome of a whole game. This is where the strategy lives. Do you line up fast players against slow ones to ensure a win? Doing so means that there will be unbalanced races later on that will benefit the other team. Do you line up your fastest against their fastest to make a "fair" game? One team may even race someone who is not fast against another team's fastest and concede one race if they feel it puts them in a better position overall. There is also the consideration of who can throw the farthest, which will undoubtedly influence these races to the ball. Similarly to speed, now you must consider matching throwing strength.

Once the game is over, we discuss what skills this game is working on. The overhand throwing hand motion was something needed for boomerangs and other throwing sticks to be used efficiently. The sprinting improved speed and endurance. Tracking and chasing the ball has visual and spatial benefits that are invaluable for hunting. Besides all these practical life skills, I also remind the students that the Aborigines were masters at teaching through play. If I asked the students to do a bunch of sprints as fast as they could repeatedly, most would find it difficult and boring. However, that is exactly what they did while playing the game and having fun. The power of play allows us to ignore signs of fatigue because we have an overwhelming interest in our task. Games capture our attention, give us focus and direction, and are the perfect vehicle for teaching.

These Aboriginal games, invented thousands of years ago by their ancestors, are essential to Indigenous peoples because they reconnect them with their culture. By playing these traditional Aboriginal games, you will help your students expand their knowledge of Aboriginal culture. They will also get a healthy dose of empathy as they realize these games are vital for teaching skills required to live in some of the harshest climates on Earth. Many of these Aboriginal games are similar to many sports worldwide. That helps us realize that even though people can live thousands of miles apart, we are more similar than we are different.