The origins of Morabaraba predate recorded history in Africa. However, archeological artefacts as well as the widespread popularity of the game argue that Morabaraba has been a popular game in Africa for a very long time - having been played for (at least) thousands of years. Although on the face of it Morabaraba appears to be a simple variant of the European game Nine Mens Morris (also known as Muehle, Mill or Merelles), it appears more likely that Morabaraba evolved from Mancala games, known to date back to ancient Egypt. Certainly, the initial placement of the cows is somewhat reminiscent of the sowing of seeds in Mancala. It would therefore appear likely that the African game of Morabaraba predates the European game of Nine Mens Morris, itself known to be an ancient game. Perhaps Nine Mens Morris is really a simplified form of Morabaraba.

Website: http://www.morabaraba.org/