|
Evidence for Hawalis
1 pieces of evidence found.
Id DLP.Evidence.772
Type Ethnography
Location 23°37'22.19"N, 58°34'22.56"E 23°35'43.16"N, 58°32'45.63"E
Date 2003-01-01 - 2003-12-31
Rules 4x8 board. Play begins with two seeds in each hole. Each player owns the two rows closest to them. Play proceeds by taking the seeds from one hole and sowing them one by one in consecutive holes in an anti-clockwise direction. If the last seed falls in a hole in the inner row, and the opponent's hole opposite it is not empty, then the opponent's seeds in that hole are captured. Players can only play from holes with single counters when there is no other option, and they may not sow into another hole that already contains a counter. Play continues until one player no longer has any seeds.
Content "The mancala game played in Oman consists of four rows of seven holes. Each hole contains two counters, commonly white stones or pebbles. With each turn the contents of a hole with more than one stone is pick (sic) up and spread one-by-one in counter-clockwise direction. The players play in the two rows at their side. When the last counter enters an occupied hole, the contents of this hole is picked up and spread in the same way and direction. When the last counter enters an empty hole the move ends, unless it enters an empty hole on the front row in which case it is possible to capture.
If the holes directly opposite this last counter, i.e. one hole in the front row and one hole in the back row of the opponent, contain at least one counter each, the contents of both holes are captured and taken from the board. If the front hole is empty, no capture is made, but if the hole in the back row is empty, it is still possible to capture the counters in the front hole.
The player who has lost all the pieces has also lost the game. If a player plays an endless move, this player has lost as well.
One is not allowed to play singletons, i.e. holes containing only one counter. Only when all the holes of the player contain less than two counters is the player allowed to play singletons. In that case, the single counters are not allowed to double up, i.e. they may not enter a hole already containing one counter. When it enters an empty hole in the front row captures are possible as described above...
...Players of Hawalis are found in two places in Muscat, the capital of Oman. the first group plays at the taxi stand near the Ruwi bus station...the second group plays near the harbor at the Corniche in Mutrah." de Voogt 2003: 95-97.
Confidence 100
Source de Voogt, A. 2003. Hawalis in Oman: a first account of expertise and dispersal of four-row mancala in the Middle East. Board Game Studies 6: 5–98.
|
