No other ancient strategy board game including Chess, Go, Backgammon, Chapur, or Shogi has been as widely dispersed or flourished in as many cultures throughout the world as Mancala. The game has been played in a variety of versions across all of Africa, much of Oceania; Asia, and parts of the mid-East, Europe, the Caribbean, South and North America. Its levels of game play range from simple to incredibly complex. Many superb examples have been created in both abstract and figural forms. African and Asian versions often were highly prized objects- prominently displayed in 19 C royal places and wealthy homes in India and South Asia. African families among the Akan, Baule, Dan, Kuba, Mende, and Yoruba considered their mancala boards to be among their most important possessions with deep connections to their ancestors, cultural myths and rituals.
