MORABARABA, UMLABALABA, MRABARABA

The standard Morabaraba Board as approved by IWF.

Morabaraba remains the most popular game in South Africa with an enormous 40% of the population playing the game on a recreational level. Wow! Do you realise that that is a staggering 16 million people in South Africa alone that play the game?

In other words, MORABARABA is bigger than soccer. Now isn't that something of which to be proud?

But why is MORABARABA part of the Mind Sports South Africa?

Back in 1991 a concerned group of Morabaraba players, lead by Edward Ngubane, approached the Mind Sports South Africa in the hope of seeing the game promoted and accredited as a full sport.

Mind Sports South Africa immediately rose to the challenge and despite the political situation of the time began to promote the game.

There is no doubt that the game is ancient in terms of its origin, educational in purpose with a very strong mathematical base, but most of all

FUN TO PLAY.

To accredit the game the Mind Sports South Africa embarked on an exciting development plan.

After Mind Sports South Africa (MSSA) having persuaded the National Sports Council (NSC) to view the game as a fully-fledged sport, Mind Sports South Africa sent a team to represent South Africa at the 2^nd Traditional World Games and Festival in Bangkok, Thailand in 1996.

As usual the Hon. Mr Steve Tshwete was most supportive of our endeavours and gave all the support he possibly could.

International Wargames Federation (IWF) then adopted the game at its international championships to be played in 1997.

Many South Africans will be more than surprised to know that Morabaraba is played throughout Africa, and the world, although it is known by many different names. In Somalia the game is known as Shax, in Ethiopia as Gebeta, in Namibia the game is known as Owela, in Zimbabwe the game is known as Tsoro, Tsolo in Zambia, Mbau in Angola, Ekyeso in Uganda, and in Botswana the game is known as Mmele. It is even known as Cizgny in Turkey, Twelve Man’s Morris in England, Filletto in Italy, Damier in Senegal, Muhle in Switzerland, Trilha in Brazil, Marelle in France, Moynek in Poland, Tres en Raya in Spain, Xi Gua Qi in China, and Muhle in Germany.

World Champions are:

MORABARABA - SENIOR

Date	Name of player	Flag	Member
1997	Gilbert Magabotse	South Africa	South African Wargames Union
1999	Amos Mavuso	South Africa	South African Wargames Union
2000	David Hlophe	South Africa	South African Wargames Union
2001	David Hlophe	South Africa	South African Wargames Union
2002	Simon Skhosana	South Africa	South African Wargames Union
2004	Simphiwe Maphumulo	South Africa	South African Wargames Union
2005	Medupe Sekao	Botswana	Botswana Wargames Federation
2006	Thanos Taktikos	Greece	Hellenic Wargames Federation
2007	Moses Rannyadi	South Africa	Mind Sports South Africa
2008	Hanna Melkko	Finland	Finnish Historical Wargames Association
2012	Simphiwe Maphumulo	South Africa	Mind Sports South Africa
2013	Simphiwe Maphumulo	South Africa	Mind Sports South Africa
2014	Lejone Malikoe	Lesotho	Lesotho Mind Sports Association
2015	Senane Gadlela	Swaziland	Swaziland Mind Sports Association

MORABARABA - WOMEN

Date	Name of player	Flag	Member
2005	Teresa Chen	South Africa	South African Wargames Union
2007	Ledile Tshwane	South Africa	Mind Sports South Africa
2008	Hanna Melkko	Finland	Finnish Historical Wargames Association
2012	Zama Lathla	South Africa	Mind Sports South Africa
2015	Nipho Sipnepho	Swaziland	Swaziland Mind Sports Association

MORABARABA - JUNIOR

Date	Name of player	Flag	Member
2002	Innocent Kubheka	South Africa	South African Wargames Union
2003	Simphiwe Maphumulo	South Africa	South African Wargames Union
2005	Teresa Chen	South Africa	South African Wargames Union
2007	Innocent Kubheka	South Africa	Mind Sports South Africa

SESOTHOMORABARABA - MALE

Date	Name of player	Flag	Member
2014	Tatiso Khosi	Lesotho	Lesotho Mind Sports Association