Gahwéñhda (Snow Snake) Time at the Onondaga Nation School

This winter at Onondaga has been very cold and has produced some heavy snowstorms that have blanked Mother Earth. For some, this is a recipe to stay indoors.  But for the Onondaga Nation Gahwéñhda (Snow Snake) Team, this has been the best winter in recent memory.

“We’ve played games just about every weekend,” said Chief Shannon Booth, who is also an avid Snow Snake player. “We’ve placed in all the games so far and the competition has been great.”

Snow Snake is an ancient Haudenosaunee game.  The game originated with Haudenosaunee sending messages to each other in the winter by throwing these long sticks over the snow.  

“We believe that we can talk to our ‘snakes,’” said Booth.  “And today we are here teaching the kids how to play and to make sure they are ‘talking’ to their snakes too.”  

Booth and other members of the snow snake team come to the Onondaga Nation School (ONS) every year to share their joy of playing Snow Snake. They build a snow track and bring their hand crafted snakes.  The snakes they bring are shorter than the longer snow snakes which the game originally began with.  These snakes are shorter in length and are referred to as “mud cats”.

“Some years we have trouble making a track and the kids are slipping because there is so little snow and it’s muddy,” said Booth. “But this year we do not have that problem. The kids will really be able to give it their all.”   

Booth states one of the reasons that he brings the team every year is because of the joy he had being a student at ONS and being able to play snow snake at school. 

“Uncle Ed was a great carver and loved the game,” said Booth of the late Ed Shenandoah. “He hand carved these beautiful snakes and we had the opportunity to play with them.  I had so much fun.”

Snow snakes can vary in length from 3 feet in length (mud cats) to 6 feet in length. But the diameter of the snake is always less than one inch.  

When asked what his favorite snake is? Booth responded with a wry smile.  

“It depends. I’ve carved snakes out of hickory, apple, cherry, and maple.” said Booth.  “It all depends on how the snakes are running.”

So as the kids listen to instructions from Booth and the rest of the team before selecting their snake, they remind the students that the snakes are alive and will listen, if you’re loud enough.

So the ONS kids take turns throwing and shouting their snakes down the track.  

“I think Uncle Ed would really enjoy that we are still teaching the kids how to play at ONS,” said Booth.  “I know it feels good for me.”