As part of our Matariki celebration we are going to be playing some traditional Maori games. Here is the first - Mu Torere
Mu Torere
Mu Torere is the only
traditional Maori board game. The game is played by two players with 4 pieces
each. The aim of the game is to make your opponent unable to move.
Maori have many games
but only one board game. Mu torere is played mainly by the Ngati Porou tribe on
the east coast of the North Island, but it has spread over time to many other
tribes.
The board is a star
with eight points or arms called kewai. The pieces (perepere) are placed at the
end of the arms or in the centre. Some traditional boards were made from the
totara tree.
How to Play
The game begins with
the pieces filling the eight kewai. The putahi (centre) starts empty. The
object of the game is to move the pieces until your opponent is unable to move.
The player on the
dark kewai always start and must move one of the outer pieces into the putahi
(centre).
Players continue to
move their pieces along the lines. The game is over once one player can no
longer move any of their pieces.
This is a great game of strategy. Torres and Kevin have been training hard ready to take on challengers. Both boys did a great job summarising the instructions and putting it into their own words.
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