Meaning & History

The word “Mancala” is derived from the Arabic word “naqala” which means “to move.”Mancala is so old its precise origins are unknown, but the most reliable evidence exists for Mancala, having been played 3,600 years ago in Ancient Sudan or Ghana. Historians believe Mancala spread throughout Africa, into the Middle East and Asia, before eventually being brought to the United States. There are still at least 200 regional variations in Africa, including the regional variant of oware.

Purpose of Work

The word Mab stands for marble in Haitian Creole. Mab is a catchall phrase encompassing many games played by Haitian children and teens, from Mancala to a different point-based marble game where the goal is to knock marbles outside the game area. The redesign is inspired by the significance of Mancala from my own childhood playing mab (marble) based games alongside my siblings, specifically my younger sister. Mab, to me, pays homage to my love of Haiti, my love of family, and my love of games. The redesigned board is a tabletop or bookshelf centerpiece that is decorative and functional.