The 6th iteration of the World Nomad Games, a global celebration of traditional nomadic athletic and intellectual culture, kicked off in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, drawing participants from more than 100 countries between August 30 and September 7, 2026. For the first time, the small Caribbean nation of Antigua and Barbuda sent a delegation to compete on this international stage, marking a significant milestone in the country’s engagement with global cultural and sporting initiatives.
After a lengthy three-day journey to Central Asia, Antigua and Barbuda’s three-person contingent — consisting of competing athletes Terrance ‘Kambui’ Charles and Denise Francis, and head coach Trevor Simon — marched alongside representatives from 103 other nations during the Parade of Nations on August 31, part of the tournament’s official opening ceremony.
Established to center and safeguard centuries-old traditional games and athletic practices from across the globe, the World Nomad Games blend physical competition with cultural preservation. This year’s event featured a diverse lineup of contests, ranging from outdoor physical sports like archery, horseback riding, wrestling and judo to a trio of centuries-old strategy board games: Oware (also known as Warri), Togyz Kumalak, and Mangala. These abstract strategy games, which originated in ancient African and Central Asian cultures, have grown into organized competitive sports with active professional player circuits across Europe, Asia, South America, and Africa.
Antigua and Barbuda’s participation in the 2026 games was supported by the Antigua and Barbuda Warri Academy, the nation’s leading body for promoting Oware/Warri play. Both local athletes turned in solid performances against seasoned international competitors: Kambui Charles claimed five wins across seven rounds of Oware/Warri, and even picked up a win in Togyz Kumalak, a game he learned just one day before the start of competition. Teammate Denise Francis notched three wins in seven Oware/Warri rounds, and secured four wins from eight rounds of Togyz Kumalak.
For Antigua and Barbuda, the delegation’s invitation and participation in the World Nomad Games represents more than just a sporting outing: it is a concrete step forward for the nation’s commitment to advancing cross-cultural dialogue and protecting endangered global traditional heritage, while also elevating the profile of its own traditional board game culture on the world stage.