Native American Technology and Art

Ball & Triangle Game

A traditional toy used by Penobscot children consisted of a stiff piece of birch bark cut into a triangular shape, with a hole in the center. To one corner of the bark triangle is attached a string, and a ball is attached to the other end of the string. The circular hole in the center of the bark triangle is made only slightly larger than the ball attached to the string. Children a corner of the triangle opposite the string, toss the ball into the air, and the object of the game is to get the ball to drop through the hole in the bark.