Morabaraba
Southern-African Nine-Men's-Morris variant — 12 pieces per side, diagonal lines, and 'cows' captured on mills.
🌤outdoor
What is Morabaraba?
Morabaraba is a traditional Southern African two-player board game, a variant of Nine Men's Morris played by shepherds among the Sotho and Tswana peoples. Each player has 12 pieces (called 'cows'). The board adds diagonal lines to the classic pattern, giving extra room for mills. Recognised as an official sport in South Africa since 1994, with a national federation running provincial and school leagues.
Quick facts
Category
Board Games
Type
Individual
Players
2–2
Where played
outdoor
Country of origin
🇿🇦 South Africa
Estimated origin
Southern Africa — a Nine Men's Morris variant played by Sotho and Tswana shepherds
Olympic
No
Popularity
regional
Sources & provenance
Last verified 2026-08-24.verified