Daramutu
Encyclopedia
Daramutu is a traditional mancala
game from Sri Lanka
. It was first described in 1909 by the British engineer Henry Parker
in his book Ancient Ceylon (1909). Traditionally, the game is only played by women.
At her turn, the player takes all the seeds in one of her pits and sows them. The first player to play may choose whether sowing occurs clockwise or counterclockwise; after that, all sowing will be done accordingly throughout the game. Sowing is called ihinawa.
If the last seed is sown in a pit that contains at least 3 seeds, relay-sowing applies. If the last seed falls in an empty pit, or in a pit with exactly one seed (called puta, "son") or in a pit with exactly two seeds (naga, "figlia"), any seeds in the opposite pit are captured. Note that the player can either capture seeds from her own or from the opponent's row, depending on whether her sowing ends in the opponent's or her own row.
When one of the players cannot move, the game is over. All remaining seeds are captured by the opponent, and the winner is the player who captured most seeds.
Mancala
Mancala is a family of board games played around the world, sometimes called "sowing" games, or "count-and-capture" games, which describes the game-play. Mancala games play a role in many African and some Asian societies comparable to that of chess in the West, or the game of Go in Eastern Asia...
game from Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
. It was first described in 1909 by the British engineer Henry Parker
Henry Parker (author)
Henry Parker was a British engineer in colonial Ceylon during the Victorian era. He was attached to the Irrigation Department from 1873 to 1904. During his work as engineer he developed an admiration for the skills displayed by the ancient Sinhalese at the time of the construction of their...
in his book Ancient Ceylon (1909). Traditionally, the game is only played by women.
Rules
The game's board (termed olinda-puruwa) comprises 2 rows of 7 pits each. At game setup, four seeds are places in each pit. Seeds of Abrus precatorius are traditionally used. Each player controls one of the rows.At her turn, the player takes all the seeds in one of her pits and sows them. The first player to play may choose whether sowing occurs clockwise or counterclockwise; after that, all sowing will be done accordingly throughout the game. Sowing is called ihinawa.
If the last seed is sown in a pit that contains at least 3 seeds, relay-sowing applies. If the last seed falls in an empty pit, or in a pit with exactly one seed (called puta, "son") or in a pit with exactly two seeds (naga, "figlia"), any seeds in the opposite pit are captured. Note that the player can either capture seeds from her own or from the opponent's row, depending on whether her sowing ends in the opponent's or her own row.
When one of the players cannot move, the game is over. All remaining seeds are captured by the opponent, and the winner is the player who captured most seeds.