American Indian Culture and Research Journal

INTRODUCTION This article is a review and synthesis of materials on Navajo games, with an annotated bibliography of those materials. Because this work addresses two different but not incompatible audiences-Navajo scholars and game scholars-I have not attempted to clarify game terms and issues for Navajo scholars, and vice versa. Readers wishing more background on either subject should consult appropriate works. These materials contribute to our understanding of Navajos, games, and scholarship. First, this work reveals that there is more information on Navajo games than one might initially expect. In addition, it provides background information for further research on both Navajos and games. The information presented here challenges Western perceptions of games and playing. It reveals the interrelationship between games and other aspects of Navajo culture. Finally, it demonstrates that one can gain a great deal of information from unscholarly, generalized resources. Of the 329 works considered for this paper, 163 are included, regardless of whether documenting or describing games was the authors’ primary interest. While this evaluation is not definitive, I have personally reviewed all of the works cited. In the introduction, I provide information essential for understanding the subsequent discussions, first on the relationship between games and religion (p. 5), then on the nature of games and gaming (p. 15), followed by descriptions of specific games, toys, and play activities (p. 31); I end the discussion with a summary and suggestions for future scholarship (p. 41). The essay concludes with notes (p. 44) and an annotated bibliography (p. 63).