Grassland, Cameroon

Mankala (also called awele, wari or ma kron) game. The game of mankala, though widespread, is played more particularly in West Africa. It involves moving pawns on a board with two rows of six holes. The goal is to capture the pawns in the opposite row. Many ethnographical collections have mankala games, which are fine works of art. Mankala may well be the oldest board game in the world since it can be played with whatever medium happens to be around. For instance, in Africa, people often play with pebbles using hollows scooped into the earth, with cowrie or other seashells in rings in the sand or specially carved wooden board with seeds. It is a wholly mathematical game - its more complex versions have as much scope as chess, despite its primitive origins.

Material: wood

Size: 8”x31½”x13”

Price:  $325+$49 (S&H)                                                   [#L1B9O591]