Officials and cultural experts from the Rwanda Cultural and Heritage Academy (RCHA) say Rwandan board game ‘Igisoro’ could become an important tool for cultural diplomacy between Rwanda and Germany. The move comes at a time when many young people are increasingly turning to digital games, something cultural experts fear is weakening social interaction, critical thinking, and physical community engagement.

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Speaking during celebrations of International Museum Day held on May 20 at the Rwanda Art Museum, Robert Masozera, Director General of RCHA said Igisoro is no longer being seen only as entertainment but also as an important educational and cultural tool.

He noted that Igisoro has already started strengthening ties between Rwanda and the German state of Rhineland-Palatinate. Several Igisoro boards have already been taken to Germany, where students in schools partnering with Rwanda are now learning how to play the game ahead of future exchanges and competitions with Rwandan students.

"Some Igisoro boards have already been taken there, and they are now learning how to play, especially in schools that cooperate with Rwanda,” he said.

"They are preparing to come and play with Rwandan students. In diplomacy, you can see that Igisoro can strengthen relations, and it can now also raise the country’s flag just like Rwanda’s Intore dance, Imigongo art, and other cultural symbols do.”

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Hanna Schuhle, Rhineland-Palatinate’s Head of the Coordination Office in Kigali said the German side is committed to continuing cooperation with Rwanda to promote Rwandan heritage in Germany.

"Introducing Igisoro in German schools and communities will not only preserve culture but also strengthen friendship and cooperation between the two sides,” she said.

What is Igisoro?

Igisoro is a traditional Rwandan board game belonging to the Mancala family of games. It is played using a handcrafted wooden board containing 32 pits arranged in four rows and eight columns, together with 64 seeds.

Two players take turns sowing and capturing seeds until one player leaves the opponent without possible moves.

The game mainly tests concentration, patience, planning, and strategic thinking.

Historians trace the game back centuries ago, with legends linking it to the reign of King Ruganzu II Ndoli between 1510 and 1543. Ancient Igisoro boards carved into rocks can still be found in different parts of Rwanda, showing how deeply rooted the game is in the country’s history.

Rwandan historians say Igisoro has existed since the early formation of the Kingdom of Rwanda.

Historical accounts say Ruganzu I fell in love with Princess Nyanguge from another kingdom. However, he faced strong competition from other kings who also wanted to marry her, especially King Kimenyi of Gisaka.

It is said that Ruganzu I sought divination, known in Kinyarwanda as ‘kuraguza’, to determine whether Nyanguge was destined to become his wife, and he eventually succeeded in marrying her.

King Kimenyi was known for spending much of his time playing Igisoro.

This later gave rise to the famous saying: "Umwami uraguza yatsinze ubuguza” loosely translated as, "The king who sought divination defeated the one who played Igisoro.”

The saying was often used to mock King Kimenyi’s relaxed lifestyle and also showed how addictive and popular Igisoro had already become during that era.

King Ruganzu II Ndoli, who ruled Rwanda from 1510 until 1543, was also known to enjoy the game.

Plans to expand Igisoro nationwide

Besides promoting the game in secondary and vocational schools, Masozera said that discussions are underway with sports institutions to officially include Igisoro in Umurenge Kagame Cup competitions.

If approved, the game could also start being played competitively at sector level across the country.