(Image via https://twitter.com/KoalaneMotaung)
From Ghana to Nigeria, traditional games have always been present in people’s lives. On the continent of Africa, traditional games of this type have helped keep people entertained without having to break the bank.
In fact, most of the traditional games that people grew up with were created using accessible materials, such as stones or pieces of chalk.
Although modern technology has hindered the progress of some classic African games, we’re seeing classic titles being adapted for technology-based products, too, such as a smartphone device.
Indeed, while classic games will change over time and can be replaced by modern alternatives, they often hold on to their roots. Consider classic slot machine games as an example, which used symbols like Bars, 7s, and Bells for decades. We can still pinpoint modern online games today, like the Crazy 7 slot, that still use the thematic symbology that you would have found in 1950s Las Vegas.
The same goes for traditional African games. For instance, the Mancala board game is said to have inspired a number of other mobile games, too, such as Ayo Game. These modern-day takes on old classics have enhanced the mobile gaming world, although many Africans are still opting to play classic African games in a traditional format.
From helping to improve physical strength to putting your maths skills to the test, let’s assess some of the classic African games that are still going strong in this technology-based world of ours.
Morabaraba
Popular in South Africa in particular, Morabaraba is similar to Men Morris in many respects, although the African version certainly beats its European counterpart. The game, which focuses on critical and tactical thinking, in particular, is fairly straightforward to play and has a selection of simple rules to abide by.
While “flying the cows” is a great option during some moments in the game, players can also move and place their way to glory in this fun African game that is steeped in history.
Abula
Similar in many respects to volleyball, Abula is an active game where players are standing on a court that is exactly the same as a volleyball setup, net included. Then, once four players are on each side, the game starts just like a game of tennis or badminton.
The main difference, though, is that Abula players use a special bat to manipulate the ball as they aim to win as many points as possible for their team. As you can see from the video below, Abula is remarkably similar to both tennis and volleyball.
Diketo
(Image via https://twitter.com/BBMzansi)
Played between two or more players on the streets of Africa, Diketo is a simple game to explore thanks to it having few parts needed to play it. All players need are some small pebbles, a bigger stone, and two circles of 10cm being drawn on the ground. Then, from there, each player also has ten rocks before a big stone is thrown in the air to commence the game.
A game of fast reactions, players essentially have to remove their ten rocks in the circle while trying to capture the big rock that has been thrown in the air before it touches the ground. In order to crown the winner, the player with the most pebbles in their hand at the end of the game is the victorious one.
Kgati
A game that has been around for decades, Kgati is skipping but with a twist. Skipping is popular globally, but it can be enhanced with the addition of singing and chanting while jumping, as shown in Kgati in a number of African nations.
The game has three players involved, with two people holding either end of the rope, while the third person jumps and sings their way to success.
Other classic African games that are still going strong in the modern world include Jukskei, Lintonga, Who Is In The Garden?, Suwe, Ayo, and Adugo.
