2 players
Muvalavala (Luena)
- Game family
- four rows
- Origin
- Southwest Africa
Overview
Muvalavala is a four-row mancala-style board game played in Southwest Africa, particularly among the Luena and Mbunda people. The game is played with holes dug into the ground instead of on a board.
Source rules (English)
4x6-16 board. Play begins with two counters in each hole. The first move must be from the inner row. Play begins from any of the player's holes, sowing clockwise. When the final counter lands in an occupied hole, these are picked up and sowing continues. Captures are made when the final counter falls into an empty hole in the inner row, and the opponent's hole opposite contains counters. If it is, they are captured, and if the hole in to outer row opposite also contains counters, these are also captured. If the final counter falls into an empty hole and a capture cannot happen, the turn is over. Play ends when one player cannot move.