Adji-boto

Adji-boto is a traditional mancala-style board game deeply rooted in the cultural history of the Saramaka people of Suriname. It is played on a wooden board featuring twelve small pits arranged in two rows of six, with two larger storage pits at the ends. The game serves as a vital social institution, historically played during funeral rites and periods of mourning as a way to occupy the living while honoring the deceased through intellectual engagement and communal presence.

The design of the Adji-boto board is often characterized by intricate wood carvings that reflect West African aesthetic traditions, brought to the Americas by enslaved populations. These boards are typically carved from single pieces of durable tropical hardwood, emphasizing both portability and resilience. While the specific origins of individual boards are rarely documented to a singular artisan, the craftsmanship remains a respected skill within the community, intended to balance the tactile requirements of the game with symbolic, often geometric, ornamentation.