Fort Nelson revives Dene Hand Games: tournaments, prizes & community fun in December

FORT NELSON, B.C. — The Fort Nelson Handgames Society (FNHS) will close out 2024 with a pair of events highlighting the traditional Dene pastime of handgames in December.

Curtis Dickie, formerly of the handgames society, spoke to Energeticcity.ca about the history of the games in the region and their recent revival.

Dickie was one of the founding members of the society and assists in judging and setting up volunteers during events to ensure the games “run smoothly.”

“It had been lost in recent years,” said Dickie.  “Back in the old days, it would have been community versus community or families against one another.  Not so much tournament style.” 

“They’d play for matches, for bullets, or anything of value.”

A mixture of gambling, hand signals, and music, Dene hand games are a complex guessing match in which teams square off, surrounded by drummer beats supporting each team.

To score, a team must correctly guess where an object is in their opponent’s hand. One person, designated a “shooter,” gives hand gestures to the team. 

A correct guess earns a stick.  Games in tournaments usually consist of best-of-three matches.

On December 7th, a community hand games night will be held against the backdrop of the Fort Nelson Christmas Craft Fair, co-hosted by Fort Nelson First Nation (FNFN), the Chalo School, and the Northern Rockies Arts Council (NRAC).

Although traditional hand games involve men only, the community night will feature men, women, and children participating.

On December 30th and 31st,  FNHS will host a two-day tournament with prize money, open to men and youth in a co-ed tournament.  

Dickie says $10,000 in prize money could be up for grabs and anticipates between 12 and 16 teams could take part.

Dickie says participants from other parts of the northeast region, including Prophet River, Fort Liard, and Watson Lake, could travel to participate.

“I’ve watched hand games grow from the beginning here in this community,” said Dickie. “ I was virtually one of the first men to travel to visiting communities to play the traditional style.”

“It’s always great when you can bring people together around the drum and see them interact the way we would have thousands of years ago.”

Entry fees for Saturday’s tournament will be $120, and registration will begin at 2 p.m. at Chalo School, 4021 Fontas Road, Fort Nelson.

Further information about the New Year’s tournament will be released soon. 

For more details, visit the FNHS Facebook page.