Updated
May 27, 2001
Worro or Wari Game
An ancient game, some say pre Egyptian, now popular in the West and known as Mancala
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The two pictures show a closed Worro box board and the open version below.
Each side belongs to a player and each has six containers that start with 3 stones in each scoop.
The extra holes are for stones captured from your opponent.
If you have a Worro board and would like the rules sent to you, please send a sae and 1st or 2nd class stamps to the value of £2.00 to my address and I will send you the rules and a short history of the game.
All stamps will be used for GTS administration.
Those of you who are familiar with Mandinka will recognise Worro as the Mandinka word for 6, this is a good name as the worro board is made of two rows of 6 cavities about the size of half an egg.
Worro boards appear in the strangest places, my mother bring one from a charity shop who were selling it as a tray for a dozen eggs.
Lonely Planet (West Africa) describe the ame as ancient and probably many thousands of years old. Although it's origins are unknown, it is played all over Africa, the rules vary from country to country and I suspect village to village.
GTS has a number of examples of Worro boards and a set of rules that explain exactly how the game is played. Anyone from the age of 6 to 96 can play it . it is amazingly simple but fantastically skillful and there are few gambian children who will not win game after game with you, with great ease.
Don't leave The Gambia, without a board, they make excellent presents, but also an good supplement to cards when your friends come round.
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