What is "ayoayo"

Ayoayo is a traditional mancala played by the Yoruba people in Nigeria. It is very close to (and possibly a direct ancestor of) the Oware game that spread to the Americas with the atlantic slave trade. Among modern mancalas, which are most often derived from Warri, the Kalah is a notable one that has essentially the same rules as Ayoayo.

There are games with identical rules also in other areas of Africa. One such game is the Endodoi, played by the Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania.