Mancala is a very ancient African game, with variations played by every tribe in Africa and throughout the Indian Ocean countries (there are literally hundreds of variations of the game called Awele, Kalah, Wari, Pallanguli, Katra, Mefuhva, Chisolo, etc...). Many believe that Mancala could be the oldest game in the world. It is estimated to be more than 7,000 years old. The word Mancala means "to transfer" in Arabic. To transfer, or move, playing counters from one bin to another is the exact premise of the game.