On 27 June 1876, Queen Victoria watched a match of lacrosse in the courtyard at Windsor Castle. Lacrosse is North America’s oldest team sport, derived from indigenous competitive games used to train warriors and resolve conflict. Two teams from Montreal and Caughnawaga in Canada had toured England, Scotland and Wales before their performance for the queen. Afterwards they read a loyal address, and the Iroquois from Caughnawaga presented this intricate birch basket to Queen Victoria, ‘our good mother’. In turn, the queen gave each player a signed photograph.