Tucsonans will have a chance this weekend to learn about a sport that dates back to tribal communities in pre-colonial times.
S. L. Price is one of the presenting authors at this year's Tucson Festival of Books. His research on a book about the history of lacrosse included the sport's roots in native American culture.
"This is a game that goes back a thousand years on this continent, and there's no other game that goes back that far," Price said. "And obviously, that contains in many ways the experience of the native American people on this continent."
Price says lacrosse competitions served as a substitute for war between conflicting tribes, and is still regarded by some native Americans as a spiritual practice. He notes Canadian settlers saw the sport as recreation and stole the activity from its creators while proclaiming it their national game.
"In the 1880s, native Americans were banned from playing in the Canadian game. Banned from their own game."
Today, lacrosse is the fastest growing sport among high school athletes in the U.S., and is played around the world. It will return to the Summer Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.
