DCHP-1 Online

pagessan pukessan < Algonk.: cf. Cree pukēsēwuk they throw (gamble) with dice For convenience several apparent cognates are listed under this entry. See note at platter.

• 1 n. usually, game of the platter.

  See also: platter  

  • 1819  (1823)  The game most used amongst them, termed pukesann, is played with the stones of a species of prunus. . . .
  • 1860,  (1956)  Some time ago I seated myself by some Indians who were playing at pagessan

• 2 n. See 1907 quaote at hand game.

  See also: hand game  

  • 1908  On the island our Cree half-breeds enjoyed the first evening's camp by playing the universal button-hiding game called Pugasawin, and which is always accompanied by a monotonous chant and the tom-tom. . . .

• 3 n. an Indian gambling game taking various forms, the winner being the player to whom falls a marked object (as a disc) mixed with several similar but unmarked objects.

  See also: lahal  

  • 1965  That night the Indians rounded off the day by playing Lahal, sometimes called Slahal or Pageesee.