Most people in Lesotho live in the valleys, but not the shepherds. They live and work high up in the mountains looking after animals. It’s a really lonely life as they are away from their families and spend a lot of time on their own. They are also out of reach of the local churches. Sometimes the shepherds are as young as six when they first go into the mountains and most of them have never been to school so can’t read or write. Most shepherds have never heard about Jesus, instead they worship their ancestors and look for answers about creation in the wrong places.
Morabaraba is a strategy game often played by the shepherds in Lesotho. It’s thought that this game was first played 800 years ago. It’s been played by Roman soldiers, wise men in India and shepherds on the hillsides of Southern Africa. So why don’t you have a go? Download a board and rules here.
