Preserving Cultural Heritage Through Traditional Games
Shax is a traditional Somali strategy board game that has been played for centuries across the Horn of Africa. Similar to Nine Men's Morris, Shax represents an important part of Somali cultural heritage, often played during social gatherings, festivals, and as a means of teaching strategic thinking to younger generations.
Our digital collection includes three authentic Somali board games:
The flagship strategy game involving placement and capture of pieces to form "mills".
Ancient Somali capture game (Alqaraat) focusing on aggressive strategy and positioning.
Classic alignment game (Jareyare) perfect for quick strategic matches.
Traditional Somali games are more than entertainment—they are living cultural artifacts that teach strategy, patience, and social interaction. By digitizing these games, we aim to preserve this important heritage for future generations and make it accessible to Somali diaspora worldwide.