Pedagogic Value 

Anthropological perspective 

Mancala is a game that represents cultural practices that reflect human social interactions, strategy, and community engagement. According to Berger (2009), we can learn a lot about mankind's physical and social aspects as well as cultural development through artifacts. Traditionally played in communal settings, mancala involves strategic thinking and social bonding. Games with a such a rich history, like mancala, serve as mediums for passing down cultural values and traditions, strengthening social ties After our observations we can definitely confirm this as the children built a stronger bond through play and teaching. By playing mancala we can gain insight into the strategic elements and cognitive processes valued in different cultures. 

Mary Douglas's grid-group Theory 

Applying Mary Douglas's grid-group theory to mancala, we can analyze how the game reflects different cultural patterns of social organization. According to this theory, societies can be categorized along two dimensions: grid (strength of boundaries) and group (strength of boundaries). 

In a high-group, low-grid society, where community bonds are strong but individual autonomy is emphasized, mancala might be played in a relaxed, social setting, emphasizing community and sharing. In contrast, in a high-grid, high-group society, where both community bonds and social rules are strong, the game might follow strict roles and be used to reinforce social hierarchies and roles. Needless to say the game between the children we observed was more of a competitive individualist game, where there was friendly competition, which some elements of egalitarianism when player 1 voluntarily helped player 2. 

Fundamentalism 

According to Berger (2009), by applying fundamentalism we can see how mancala plays various roles in society, both intended and unintended, and how it can impact social dynamics in mutiple ways.

Functional: Mancala serves a functional role by promoting social interaction within communities. Playing games like this can help build relationships and foster a sense of belonging among players. 

The mother of our participants exaplained that the game serves as a form of bonding for the siblings. More often than not it can serve as a teaching moment for the older sibling as well. 

Dysfunctional: If the game becomes overly competitive or if disputes arise from playing, it could lead to conflicts and divisions between players. 

For the subjects of our observation this did not seem to be an issue as they often helped each other and suggested moves that might help the other player. 

Non-functional: In some contexts, mancala might not serve any significant purpose. For instance, in a community that does not value traditional games or where other forms of entertainment are preffered, mancala might be seen as non-functional.

In this family mancala seems to have a great function as they use to entertain themselves and improve their critical thinking skills 

Functional alternative: Games like mancala promote strategic thinking and math skills. 

During our interview portion child 1 expressed that sometimes you have to think about your next move strategically as well as your opponents moves, evidently demostrating one of the fuctions of mancala. 

Manifest function: The manifest funtion of mancala is its role as a game for entertainment. It is explicitly intended to be a fun game and engaging activity. 

Latent function: The latent function of mancala might include the unintended benefits it brings, such as strategic thinking, enhancing cognitive skills, and preserving cultural heritage. These might not be the primary reasons people play the game, but they are still valuable outcomes. 

Both the manifest and latent function of mancala seem to be prevalent in the lives of this family. They choose to play the game as a form of entertainment and for its ability to improve strategic thinking and cognitive skills.