BY RAHINA - TAB: Traditional Board Game

Tab – A Traditional Dhofari Board Game

Tab is a traditional board game from Dhofar,the south of Oman, passed down through generations as a cherished pastime within families. Once a familiar presence in every Dhofari household, Tab has quietly faded due to modernization and shifting lifestyles.

At Rahina, we are committed to cultural preservation. The founder created this edition of Tab to honor her favorite memories with the matriarchs of her family and to keep alive a tradition she inherited from her grandmother. It is more than a boardgame, it is a thread that connects us to those who came before.

This handcrafted edition features:

A 5x5 grid solid wood foldable box
16 pawns (called ’iyal in Arabic, meaning “children”)
4 traditional playing sticks (used in place of dice - 'idan, sticks in arabic)
An instructional booklet with step-by-step guide in English and Arabic
A hand-stitched velvet pouch to hold the pawns and sticks

Each piece is lovingly made, carrying the spirit of Dhofar in its materials and design. Slight imperfections are part of its handmade charm and uniqueness.

For an intuitive walkthrough, you can also view our animated instructions here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q4K2rWjnN00

This game is designed to bring people together—across generations, across cultures. Play it. Share it. Pass it on.                                                                                                                

Care Instructions: To maintain the wooden box and sticks, oil it with a natural oil like olive oil and keep the box away from wet conditions.

Materials: Natural wood box oiled with olive oil with metal locks, resin pawns, velvet pouch and paper booklet. 

Measurements: 37cm (height) x 17cm (width) x 5cm (thickness)