How to play omweso/igisoro African mancala game 

I was literally just looking for this, as I’m teaching it on Wednesday!

In "i gisoro (the Rwanda version of the game)", you move backward only from the first and last holes of the back raw as well as the holes diagonal to them (second hole from left to right in front or from right to left in front). The left diagnal holes are called (nteba). The right ones are called (ngarama). The left counter normal move is called (guteba). The right counter normal move is called (kugarama). At the beginning of the game, a set of four seeds is planted in the front raw. Other rules, are the same as you mentioned. A single seed is called (urusoro) whose plural is "insoro"

0:45 IgiSORO is probably derived from the pellets used to play. Same root as uruSORO, the word for a shotgun projectile. Great video as usual!

So - HUGE thank you to my friend Seth, who sat me down last night and explained the rules of igisoro that he learned as a kid. There are two main differences between the version of Rwandan igisoro that he learned and the version of omweso that I'm playing above. Those two differences are: 1. The starting position for igisoro is four beads in the front (inside) row, instead of the outside/back row, and you can't choose to mess with that. 2. You can move backwards from the left and the right if you can take on the first go BUT not from all four holes on the left or right, only from the furthest outside back holes and the two inside front holes - so a diagonal from the outermost corners coming in on the four holes. The other two holes (1st hole on the inside and 2nd on the outside) you can't move back from. Other than that, it's exactly the same.

Hi, we visited Malawi many years ago and learned a similar game, called Bao. Unfortunately I have the Bao board that I had. I am currently in Uganda and bought an Omweso board, looking forward to play Omweso and also Bao again!

I appreciate your presentation, very precise and clear. Congratulations! Very good tutorial.

Thanks alot

Nice board you have!

You nailed. Thank you.

I have found this game at online antique shop accidently,but i was heard a lot about it from africans so if i will try to understand and buy it maybe

❤

Thanks. Just a minor correction. It's King of 'Buganda, ' not 'Uganda.' 'Buganda' is the name of kingdom where the capital of the country was founded and 'Uganda' is the name the country that also includes many other lesser-known kingdoms and chiefdoms.

Pips are called udusoro! One agasoro. The flesh covering the seeds can create foam. Not a pleasant smell. In Burundi we also the game "Kubuguza" . The board is known more often as Ikibuguzo. Very ancient in the region. Centuries.

Great stuffi

Do you have this written up anywhere so i can keep a printed version? Very well explained

Igisoro allows to return from the 4 pits to the left side and Omweso only from two pits. So the game you are playing is Igisoro.

Those are from a tree called IGITI C'UMUSORO

It's pronounced idžisoro not igisoro...