Tanzanian Strategy Board Game: "Bao"
Collection: Everyday Connections
Object Category: Games
Object Type: Strategy Games
Country: Tanzania
Continent: Africa
Geographic Region: Eastern Africa
width: 27.5 in;
height: 2 in;
depth: 13 in
Bao is a mancala type strategy game played in eastern Africa, particularly Tanzania and Zanzibar. The game uses a mancala board with four rows of eight pits each.
In Swahili, pits are called "mashimo," meaning holes. Each player owns a half of the board comprising two adjacent rows.
Some pits that play a special role in the game have specific names. The fourth rightmost pit in the inner row of each half board is called "nyumba," meaning house. In most traditional boards, it is visually distinguished by a square shape.
This board shows wear and tear and several of the pits are repaired with sheets of metal.
Source:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bao_(game)