Mancala Games in the Netherlands

The ancient history of Mancala games

The ancient mancala games have been fun and engaging throughout the ages. Although they are mostly played in Africa and parts of Asia, some variations of Mancala games have found their way to Europe. The Netherlands has always been known for its tolerance and strong position as a trading country. That is why many foreign games, such as the Mancala games, have particularly found their way into this small but wealthy country. Want to learn more about the history of Mancala games in the Netherlands and how these games are played their in today’s day and age? Read on. 

Mancala games are amongst the oldest games in the entire history of the world. There are some sources that even claim that the history of the game dates back to 1500 B.C. The oldest variation of Mancala probably originated in ancient Egypt, from which it spread throughout the rest of Africa. When Islamic culture spread in the first centuries after Christ, so did the game of Mancala spread to parts of Asia. During the slave trade, the game was brought into the Caribbean area from Africa. It wasn’t until the second half of the twentieth century that Mancala was also becoming well known in the United States and Europe. 

The different kinds of Mancala games

As with many things that are centuries old, many different versions exist of the Mancala game. Some sources even claim that there are as many as two hundred different names for all the different varieties of Mancala. Most of these names refer in a local language to an element or part of the game, such as “sowing”, “conquering”, “pit” or “house”. These different versions do share a number of commonalities, though. Mancala games are referred to as ‘count and capture’ games. This means that the aim of the game is to, you guessed it, count and conquer. Mancala games are played on a board with holes in it in which chips can be placed. When there’s no access to a ‘real’ board and chips, holes were made in the ground and little rocks, seeds or shells were used as chips. Some people still play the game this old-school way. 

How Mancala is played in the Netherlands

As in many European countries, the mancala games are not particularly well known in the Netherlands. It’s not as popular as other Dutch favorites such as Monopoly or the famous board game “Mens-erger-je-niet” which roughly translates to “Dude-don’t-get-upset”. There are some enthusiastic Mancala fans in the Netherlands, however, that love to play this ancient game that is both simple yet engaging. In the Netherlands, the Mancala game is often referred to as “Kalaha” or with the traditional term “Mancala”. Most often, people in the Netherlands play this game on a wooden board with wooden chips. There are even special travel editions of the game available in the Netherlands, so kids can play it in the back of the car or easily take it with them while on vacation. 

9 Interesting Facts About ‘Ayo Olopon'

The Yorubas of Nigeria have one of the richest cultures in West Africa and Africa as a whole. This
can be seen in their festivals, carnivals, gods, language and game play. The Yorubas love to have fun. 

Although they might not have known it at the time, Yorubas were one of the earliest proponents of a
Mancala-type game, as we have come to know them today. Popularly called ‘Ayo,’ here are some fun
facts and expositions on this popular Yoruba game.

Locale

Image Credit: African Exponent

‘Ayo’ is an abridged version of ‘ayo olopon’ and was developed and is widely played by the Yorubas
in Nigeria. 

Given that this tribe is spread across different states in the country, it is amazing how they all come
together under the canopy of the same game. In fact, much reverence is given to a person who excels
at this game, just as much as a chess master today would be seen as a demigod in the midst of men.

Etymology

Image Credit: PicDeer

The words that make up the name of the game are as significant as the game itself. 

The first word, ‘ayo’, means ‘seeds.’ This is in reference to the specially-crafted seeds used to play
this game. Other materials can be used when these seeds are not available, but the designated seeds
were considered standard practice even in the olden days.

The second part of the name, ‘olopon,’ depicts a sort of container used to hold something. This does
accurately describe the game, seeing as it is played with seeds held in a wooden chamber.

Playing Time

In the Yoruba culture, ayo MUST only be played in the evenings. 

The Yorubas pride themselves on hard work and diligence, so much that they would not tolerate
seeing a man lazing around when he should be up and about. Thus, they have reserved the day time
for work, which is mostly agriculture, and in the evenings, they enjoy the game. Any man seen doing
otherwise would be regarded with scorn and tagged a lazy person.

Players

Image Credit: Suriname African Heritage Culture and History

This game can only accommodate two players at a time – no more and no less. Depending on the
score line, the players will be called ota or ope. 

A player who has the upper hand in the game is called “ota,” which literally means ‘bullet’ while
his opponent will be referred to as “ope,” literally translating to ‘knowledgeable.’

When a person is passing by two people playing this game, it is customary to greet the players by
saying “Mo ki ota, mo ki ope o,” which means “I greet the winning side, and I salute the losing party
too.” 

To this greeting, only the ota, player with the winning hand at that point, can respond.

Cultural Significance

Image Source: Afro Asian Cultural Museum

Unlike today when we have cinemas, concerts, restaurants and other forms of entertainment around,
ayo olopon provided one of the ideal means of not just entertainment, but bonding between the men. 
This was back in the days when men were expected to go farming and hunting while their wives
cooked and tended to the children. Therefore, these men would head out in the day to bring back food
while resting with a game of ayo in the evening as their wives made dinner.

Speaking of bonding, ayo also provided a means for the men in a village to get to know one another
better. A standard ayo olopon spot saw different men gather for a chance to challenge one another
while also sharing experiences of the day, telling jokes, or drinking palm wine.

Rules

Image Source: Nigeria Communications Week

The rules of ayo olopon are quite simple, but applying them to gain the upper hand is quite technical.

Each player has six pots on their side, and these pots contain four seeds each. From there on, this
series of steps happen:

• The first player starts by picking up all four seeds and distributing them (one per hole) as they move through the pots in a right-hand, counter-clockwise movement. This movement might see them cross into the opponent’s side or stay on theirs, depending on which pit they pick their starting seeds from.
• Each player gets one turn. As soon as the distribution move above terminates, it becomes the turn of the next player
• This goes on till a player finds a way to ensure their last seed lands in a pit on their opponent’s side which brings the tally of the seeds in such a pit to 2 or 3 (less than four, but more than one). They are entitled to capture all of those seeds as theirs.

The game continues until there are no moves left, and the player with the most seeds wins.

Educational Significance

It might not have been obvious at the time, but this game was also of immense importance to
developing strong arithmetic skills. This went beyond simple addition and subtraction, but also
made the players see moves ahead of the one they were making to determine which one will yield
a desired outcome.

Parallel Comparisons

In some ways, ayo olopon bears close similarities to both chess and checkers. 

For one, players of the game who have achieved great mastery were often revered throughout the
village and neighboring towns. Likewise, there are slight modifications to the rules of the game by
area – just like we have for checkers. 

Finally, it is a game of strategy that often includes ‘feeding’ an opponent’s side to give a better chance
at capturing their pieces – which brings chess to mind.

Global Adaptations

Image Source: ResearchGate

Although there is no record of where the mancala game first came about, it has spread across the world using multiple names.  Some call it Warri, others refer to it as owala, and many other cultures have their own concepts of the game too.  No matter where it is played, though, it still retains its fun nature and tendency to foster togetherness among a group of people.