1060's GS from Chattanooga, Tn. Lummi sticks is Indian game played by the Cherokee tribe. Tribesmen would pound their sticks in a circle and chant familiar songs to teach their children heritage and unity. Young boys would sit in the center and the older men (grandfathers) would teach them the movements. When they had mastered the moves and picked up speed, they would be honored by being allowed to join the adult circle. This was not a simple 3 count and flip, it was a pattern of FAST moving art. More flipping than you can imagine. The purpose of this exercise was to know your brother warriors and how they made every move inside out. When you were on the field of battle, you needed to know how they moved, thought and to anticipate their next action without a word. The sticks themselves were significant. The original stick was given to the boy when he joined the circle by his grandfather and was carved exactly as his father's stick and the second stick was carved by the boy to reflect his own taste or interests. The flipping was not just to the person in front or in back but often skipped people to develop the skill of helping a brother when fighting in battle so they could flip a knife, rock or weapon to help somebody out if it was necessary and know that they could execute the throw with accuracy.

The women and girls would do the cane dancing on the outside of the circle to the same chants while the men practiced with the lummi sticks.

I am Cherokee and I recognize the chant you mention above, we did ours to: on knee con a new ah, on knee con a new ah, a, little o, little a, little o.