Tukvnanawopi

Tukvnanawopi: A Traditional Two-Player Abstract Strategy Board Game

Tukvnanawopi is a two-player abstract strategy board game played by the Hopi native American Indians of Arizona, United States. The game has been played traditionally on a slab of stone with the board pattern etched on it. It resembles draughts and Alquerque, and the objective is to capture all of the opponent’s pieces. The game was first published as early as 1907 in Stewart Culin’s book “Games of the North American Indians Volume 2: Games of Skill”.

Significance and Origins

Tukvnanawopi is popular and significant because it is a traditional game played by the Hopi Native American tribe, and it has been played for centuries. The game is believed to have been derived from Alquerque, which was introduced to the North American Indians by the Spaniards. The high degree of similarity with a traditional game of Tunisia called Kharbaga suggests a historical connection between the two games.

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