Ouril board game

OURIL

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Ouril game is played in Cape Verde. It is also known as uril, oril, ouri or ori. The seeds are known as ‘ouris’, because come from the shrubs “Caesalpinia bonduc” and “Caesalpinia major”, known in Cape Verde as “ourinzeira”. It is traditionally played mostly by men. It is rare to see women playing ouril. It was carried by slaves from the west coast of Africa (Senegal and Gambia) uring Portuguese colonialism that began in the fifteenth century. Santiago is the first Cape Verde island where appears ouril because this island was the first place where the slaves were carried. From here to Boavista and then to the island of São Vicente, which is said that’s the place where this game is more played than any other place. – Source.

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Somewhat ironic that apparently this game is played most in São Vicente even though this island is said to be among the most Europeanized of all islands. The closest etymology for the name in Cape Verdean Crioulo comes from either Wolof (Wure) or Mandinga (Wouri).

Quint (2008) identifies it as Wolof

Ouril

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Game being played in Gambia
Wuri-Ida-explaining gambia

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On Cape Verdean island of Santiago (woman also wearing Pano cloth)
Ori_(1)

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On Cape Verdean island of São Vicente
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Local men play ouril int the city of Mindelo. Cape Verde, Africa.

Local men play ouril int the city of Mindelo. Cape Verde, Africa.

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