An Afternoon of Caddo Games, Dance and Community
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, I joined the Metro Caddo Culture Club at First American Methodist Church in Norman, Oklahoma, to learn how to play the Hand Game. With temperatures around 75 degrees, blue skies and puffy clouds, it was a perfect day to gather outdoors and experience Caddo traditions together.
The Hand Game brings together strategy, distraction, and careful observation. One team selects a guesser, while the opposing team chooses two hiders. Each hider holds a token in one hand and a bone bead in the other, switching the items behind their back before presenting closed fists to the guesser.
The guesser must identify which hand holds each hider’s bone bead, choosing both right hands, both left hands, the inside hands or the outside hands. Using their team’s-colored stick, the guesser signals the chosen combination while members of the hiding team try to distract them.
Only the hiding team earns points. When the hiders fool the guesser, they earn a point and continue hiding. When the guesser correctly identifies both bone beads in the same turn, the teams switch roles. Play continues until one team wins all the sticks.
As the game unfolded, Brandon Sankadota sang and played the drum. Shannon Freeman and Tim Ramsey explained the rules, guided participants and monitored play, while Jeri Redcorn kept score. Their guidance helped everyone follow along and take part in the game.
To wrap up the outdoor activities, participants gathered for the Alligator Dance. Klay Realrider led the dance with guidance from elders, a meaningful example of traditions being passed from one generation to the next. Through gatherings like this, the Metro Caddo Culture Club creates opportunities for Native youth and families to learn, practice and help keep Caddo games, songs and dances alive.
Afterward, we sat down to dinner following a prayer led by Jerri Redcorn. The meal included pork and hominy, grape dumplings, corn salad and other dishes shared around the tables.
The pumpkin fry bread received enthusiastic approval, adding a delicious taste of fall to the afternoon.
What stayed with me was the way learning and connection came together throughout the day. From understanding the Hand Game to watching youth lead the dance, the gathering offered a chance to experience traditions through participation and the guidance of those who carry that knowledge.
The Metro Caddo Culture Club meets once a month on Sundays, offering activities like these as members prepare for this year’s Caddo Festival, scheduled for November 15, 2026, at the First Americans Museum.
For families in the Oklahoma City and Norman area looking for a welcoming place to learn about Caddo traditions, the club offers an opportunity to gather, participate, and connect. All are welcome.
For more information about the Metro Caddo Culture Club or the upcoming Caddo Festival, visit mycaddonation.com, the Caddo Nation Facebook page or the Metro Caddo Culture Club Facebook page.
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