Barnga: A Simulation Game on Cultural Clashes - 25th Anniversary Edition

Barnga is a game that explores differences in teams. I won't comment on it more than that, but it is definitively fun to play... it is too bad you can only play it ones yourself and then "the point" is lost. This little book explains the game of Barnga. It is hard to keep the game and the book separated for this review, but I'll try.Bargna is a game that the author, Thiagi, invented during a revolution in Liberia. During that time, he couldn't leave him home and to kill the time, they played a lot of games. During these games, he came up with the idea of Barnga which is a card game that explores differences in teams. I won't explain the rules or how the game works but have tried the game out myself and it was great fun... and especially a great learning for the participants. An Amazon review purely for the game would get 5 stars from me.The book is a slightly different story. The book is quite thin, perhaps a hundred pages. But of these hundred pages, only 30 or so are 'useful'. What I mean by that is that the explanation of the game takes perhaps only 10-15 pages. The other 15 pages describe variations of the game. The rest of the book contains hand-out that can be used for playing the game in English... French, German and Spanish. As most people will only play in one language, that means about half of the book is not useful for you. Also, the slides and descriptions could better be distributed over the internet rather than in book form (and I couldn't find exactly the same descriptions on the internet).In other words, the book is somewhat a waste of paper. The 30 pages describing the game are pretty good, which is why I would give it 2 stars for the book itself.In the end, the total rating is about 3.5 stars. Amazon doesn't provide that option, so I'll round it up to 4 stars as I really did like the game. The game is worth playing, the book isn't really worth buying... but you do need to learn about the game before you can play it :)

I use this in my social psychology course. It is a fascinating way for students to understand cultural differences that may not be apparent.

This book contains all you need to run one of the most successful simulation games ever devised. The book includes photo-copiable signs for use in the game and all you need provide are a few decks of cards. Unlike most activities of this order, the game is a relatively simple one in which different groups of students play cards with each other use different rules. At first, students playing the game are baffled, then annoyed, then even hostile toward one another.The game is an excellent way to promote discussion of how our pre-conceptions lead to cultural misunderstandings.Greg Strong, English Professor, Tokyo

I used this game to spark a discussion of cultural differences for students studying abroad. Conducting and playing the game is simple enough. Success comes from leading the discussion afterwards, and some time needs to be spent by the leader developing cues for a viable contribution by the students. The book provides some guidelines for this, but experience in leading group discussions helps a lot.

I love this game. It can be adapted for many different situations. Be careful in reading the instructions for how to set up the game to ensure that it works. But, groups always have lots of laughter and they walk away with insights that can be powerful.

I tried it, and it worked fantastically well! IThe setup had 12 tables of 6 each, and i did some modifications to context. The review was short and sweet. The message of the experience itself was an open book - there for everyone to see, feel, and make choices about. Thanks, Thiagi!

It took a bit of time for me to figure out the purpose of this game. It is written in a complicated manner that is difficult to decipher. Once I did , I felt it might be used in my professional work. I was disappointed because it is unlike the other of Thiagi's works which can be used immediately.

This is a wonderful activity to use in college classes to allow students to experience what it's like to be in an environment where their assumptions about the operating rules are wrong. I teach both undergrad and grad organizational behavior, and use this every semester.

I use this with PhD researchers and also MBA students. I am surprised every time I run the exercise with the rich learning to be gained from such a simple game. Wonderful.

An excellent tool for raising awareness in general about how we recognise and overcome clear misunderstandings or differences in understanding. Simple, fun and frustrating all in one go ...love it :-)

Great game for intercultural learning for first-time and veteran trainers.Read the book to understand how Thiagi came by this approach, and to learn how to debrief the group afterward.The Kindle-Version doesn't contain any links to printable instruction sheets you will need. Google "Barnga pdf" and you'll find several.

Una buena dinámica de grupo para efectos de bordar sobre comunicación intercultural y prejuicios. Excelente para personas que tienen que laborar en equipo con personas de otros países.

Einfach gut beschrieben, besonders die Reflexionsfragen