!XO The Kwanzaa Game

Kwanzaa, Celebration of the First Fruits of the Harvest Kwanzaa is a celebration of African American heritage and culture. It was founded in 1966 by Dr. Maulana Karenga.

Celebrants engage in songs, dance, music, gift giving, a celebratory meal, games, and decoration of the home or other facility. The standard ceremony includes a welcoming with introductory remarks, reflections where people remember aspects of African American culture, rejoicing, and remembrance of ancestors with the sharing of a communal cup. Families and community groups frequently include the use of African music, arts and crafts such as jewelry making, creating a family tree, holding a fashion show, sharing books, and hearing speakers and guest lecturers. The holiday is not religious and is not a substitute for Christmas. It is a time for emphasis on family values, community responsibility and self- improvement. 

The community of African Americans should have positive role models, positive goals and aspirations, and be recognized and rewarded for positive achievements. This should be true in games as well as in life. Kwanzaa is a celebration of black life in America and the game, !XO, recognizes the positivity of the Kwanzaa tradition. The colors displayed throughout this game – black, red, green, and gold represent the colors used in African flags and represent descendants of African people, their blood, their land, and their wealth. The game is designed to bring families together and in subtle visual fashions teach positive values for African Americans. The positive black squares were drawn from personal family member’s life experiences, talents, or aspirations. The negative or green squares are designed to downplay negative life choices and roles in the community.

• 1 Game Board
• 7 Tradition Cards
• 1 Bag
• 2 Dice
• 1 Cycle Marker Nugget
• 6 Meeples
• 350 Unity Dollar Bills (in 4 Denominations)

1. Place the Game Board in the center of the play area.
2. Place the Unity Dollar Bills in stacks of their denominations and the 7 Tradition Cards next to the Game Board.
3. Place the Cycle Marker Nugget on the number 1 at the center of the Game Board indicating that this is the first round.
4. Starting with the Black Meeple, each player will take a color Meeple of their choice and place it at the Start Square.
5. The Banker (the player with the Black Meeple) distributes $250 UD from the Bank to each player including themselves.
6. Players will determine whether they will play 7, 14, or 21 rounds.
7. The Banker will take the 2 Dice and gameplay will proceed in clockwise order.

There are up to 3 cycles of play – red, green, and gold. The triangle at the center of the Game Board shows these cycles as well as their numbered rounds. Each cycle has 7 rounds, one for each letter in the word Kwanzaa.

During each player’s turn, they will roll the Dice and move their Meeple forward the number of spaces shown on the Dice. They will then carry out the written instruction of the space landed upon. At the round’s completion, the Banker will move the Cycle Marker Nugget up one to indicate the change in round number. Any dispute that arises within the game is arbitrated by the Banker.

Doubles: In the event that a player rolls doubles, the player may choose to either move their Meeple forward to any position on the board, or remain in place and collect $100 UD from each player.

Occupied Spaces: Players landing on already occupied spaces are subject to pay a Stay Fee. They must pay the fee of $100 UD to each player currently occupying that space before carrying out that space’s written instruction. Red and gold spaces are exempt from this rule.

Jail: There are 2 situations that will send a player to Jail - A player rolls a number, landing them in Jail or a player is unable pay the Unity Dollars required of them.

Once a player lands in Jail, they must return all of their Unity Dollars to the Bank unless they can Make Bail. To Make Bail, a player must recite all 7 of the Kwanzaa Traditions in the correct order. Reciting these traditions correctly in English allows the player to keep all of their funds, while reciting them correctly in English and Swahili allows them to double their funds.

The player may still collect funds when applicable while in Jail, and will stay in Jail until their next turn when they will then place their Meeple back onto the Start Square, collect a Parole Fund of $100UD from the Bank, and resume play by rolling the Dice.

Tradition Spaces: A player who lands on a gold Tradition space carries out its written instruction. They must then name any person from African American history. The person may be fictional, historical, living, or deceased, and they must explain how the person named exemplifies the Tradition on that space. The other players show approval with thumbs up or disapproval with thumbs down.

If the majority of players give the player a thumbs up, the player may then collect a Tradition Card, which value will be determined at the End of the Game.

If the majority of players give the player a thumbs down, or the player cannot recite the name of a person from African American history, the player does not collect a Tradition Card.

In the event of a tie, the Banker will cast the deciding vote, and once all Tradition Cards have been claimed, players will only carry out that space’s written instruction: collecting $50 UD from the Bank and $50UD from all other players.

After completing the last round agreed upon at the game’s setup, players will count their money and calculate the value of their Tradition Cards.

To calculate the value of a Tradition Card, roll the Dice. The card is equal to 100 times the number shown in Unity Dollars, paid by the Bank.

The player with the most Unity Dollars is the winner. In the event of a tie, the players will roll the dice and the player with the highest number is the winner.

At the end of the game, all other players must say, “Hail to the Queen or King of Kwanzaa.”