Loteria Salvadoreña

Loteria is a board game with cards that can be traced far back in history. Contrary to popular belief the game originated in Italy, in the 15th Century. This game made it's way all through out Europe, and eventually traveled to the new world in or around 1769. The most famous iconic version of the game, that is still played today, is the "Don Clemente Gallo" Version. Don Clemente was a French businessman who introduced this game to the Mexican Public in the early 1900's. The images and artwork on the cards have become such an iconic tie to the Mexican culture over the years; They instill a sense of pride and tradition. Because of this, the tablas have remained unchanged for over 100 years after the original artwork was released. The game is very similar to Bingo, however, unlike Bingo, Loteria uses pictures instead of numbers. Loteria Is a game of chance, but Loteria is much more than that. A good Loteria player will recite rhymes or a very short story to make the game a lot more interesting and fun – add money and liquor and you have yourself a party!   

The Salvadoran version is using the images and names of Salvadoran items, foods, and characters instead of the original Don Clemente Gallo version. Many of the items found in the game are not just specific to El Salvador, but it's the way it’s said that makes it a true Salvadoran experience. For instance, everyone in the world has jackets: in Spanish, a jacket translates to "chaqueta," but most Salvadorans would call it a "chumpa."