How Native American Lacrosse Sticks Are Carved From Hickory Wood | Still Standing | Insider Business

Native Americans began playing lacrosse as a spiritual and social activity more than 1,000 years ago. Their lacrosse sticks were made of wood and had sacred meaning. But many Indigenous stick artisans went out of business when plastic and aluminum replaced wood in the 1970s. Alfie Jacques, however, managed to stay afloat. He's crafted more than 80,000 sticks by hand, and he's one of the last people who knows how to make them this way. He is Onondaga, one of the Haudenosaunee nations that invented the game. We went to the Onondaga Nation to see how, with Alfie's help, this tradition is still standing. Intro: (0:00) Preparing the Wood (01:37) Steaming and Bending (03:21) Alfie’s Backstory (04:13) History of Lacrosse (05:27) Shaping the Sticks (06:24) Weaving the pocket (09:53) Tournament For Alfie (11:04) Final Touches (14:22) Goodbye Alfie (15:05) MORE STILL STANDING VIDEOS: Why The Moulin Rouge Spent $4 Billion In Costumes | Still Standing | Insider Business How The Oldest Chocolate House In New York City Survived A Century | Still Standing Still Standing Season 1 Marathon ------------------------------------------------------ #Lacrosse #StillStanding #InsiderBusiness Business Insider tells you all you need to know about business, finance, tech, retail, and more. Visit our homepage for the top stories of the day: Insider Business on Facebook: Insider Business on Instagram: Insider Business on Twitter: Insider Business on Snapchat: Insider Business on TikTok: @businessinsider How Native American Lacrosse Sticks Are Carved From Hickory Wood | Still Standing | Insider Business