Mancala is one of the oldest board games in human history. It has been played for centuries across Africa, Central America, and in countries of South and Southeast Asia. In these regions, it is as popular as chess is in the West and as diverse as card games. Its roots go back to ancient agricultural cultures and calendar cycles.
It is not a single game but a whole family of games united by a similar board format, yet differing in rules, number of pits, and strategies. Omweso, bao, wari, the “seed game” — all are popular mancala variants. The most well-known version today is kalah, an Americanized adaptation developed by William Julius Champion Jr. in the 1950s.
History of the game
The mancala board — rows of empty pits into which seeds or small stones are placed — inevitably evokes associations with farming. It’s no coincidence that such games were especially widespread in ancient agrarian cultures with advanced agriculture.
Archaeologists have yet to agree on the exact origin of mancala. Game boards and depictions have been found in Ancient Egypt, Syria, Sudan, and Southeast Asia. However, the greatest number of archaeological finds has been discovered in North Africa, in the Nile Valley. There, carved by hand into temple columns, sarcophagi, stone fragments, and even ivory objects, boards have been uncovered. The oldest of them date back to the 9th–10th centuries BCE, making mancala one of the oldest known games in human history.
Some researchers even associate elements of mancala with ritual ceremonies and sacrifices, where counting seeds held symbolic significance.
As “mancala” is an Arabic word, one theory suggests that this series of games originated in the Middle East and later spread across Africa and East Asia. The main argument supporting this theory is the mention of mancala in ancient religious texts written in Arabic.
In Asia, it had different names: congkak, dakon, makaotan, aggalakang, lamban. In Africa — names like bawo, omweso, endodoi, adi, hus, kale, ndoto, soro, and dozens of others. The most complex version — bao — is widespread in Tanzania and Kenya, in East Africa.
During the colonization of the Americas (16th–17th centuries), mancala arrived on the new continent with enslaved Africans. It took root in the southern United States and northern parts of South America, becoming known as wari or American mancala. In the U.S., commercial board versions were created with plastic trays and colorful glass stones — for home and educational use.
In Europe, the game became known in the 17th century, especially among English merchants, but over time was displaced by other games. Today, it is remembered only in certain regions, such as the Baltic states, where it is known by the German name Bohnenspiel — the “bean game.”
Since the early 21st century, mancala has seen a resurgence in popularity: it is used in education, children’s development programs, digital versions, and mobile apps. Cultural centers actively promote it as part of intangible heritage. In 2020, UNESCO recognized the game bao as an important element of East African cultural identity.
Interesting facts
- There are more than 200 documented variants of mancala around the world. They differ in the number of pits, pieces, capture methods, scoring systems, and direction of play.
- In many cultures, separate boards were not used: pits were carved directly into the ground, sand, temple walls, stones, or even tree trunks. These “field” versions were practical for nomads and warriors.
- Many versions of mancala are ideal for teaching counting and logic to young children. In some regions, it is officially used in kindergartens as a developmental method.
- In many African and Asian cultures, the game was associated with harvest gods, the cycle of life and death, and solar rhythms. In Tanzania and Madagascar, it was said that mancala “teaches patience and humility.”
- In tombs of pharaohs of Egypt’s 12th dynasty (around 1800 BCE), items were found with carved pits similar to mancala boards. This makes it one of the oldest games with physical archaeological evidence.
- In countries such as Ghana, Tanzania, and Nigeria, regional tournaments are held — including among schoolchildren. Winners are often awarded not with money but with seeds, bags of rice, or land, highlighting its ties to farming culture.
Once you know the rules and understand the basic strategy, you’re ready to begin — mancala awaits! Play online, free and without registration.