By Kelli Williams
Centuries-Old Game Gets New Life in the Delta
Bridge, bunco, and backgammon, meet the newest, oldest kid on the block, mahjong. While the game has been around for hundreds of years, originating in nineteenth-century China, it wasn’t until the 1920s that retailer Abercrombie & Fitch stocked their United States stores with the popular sets and brought the beloved game to the Western world. The game, also spelled mahjong, became quite popular at the time, but interest tapered off over the decades. Similar in strategy and skill to rummy, a successful mahjong round isn’t based entirely on luck per se, but on the player’s knowledge of the game.
The resurgence of the game can be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, when small groups were together with plenty of time on their hands. There has also been a growing popularity of games in general, in an intentional effort to reduce screen time. Whatever the reasons, and although the rules of the game and the fundamentals have been altered somewhat over the years, its love and longevity continue to permeate communities all over the country, and the Delta is no exception.
Price Rosson, owner of Rosson Co. in Cleveland, is spreading the love of mahjong through her town. She became so fond of the game she sought training and is now certified to teach others. She also carries the games, accessories, and supplies in her downtown store.
“It all started when I went on a girls’ trip with my college friends. It rained all weekend, so we basically played seventy-two hours straight of mahjong and I became obsessed,” Rosson explains. “It’s such a fun exchange of laughter and friendly competition. Dallas has had a big boom in the resurgence, and one of my friends there got really into it during COVID and taught us all. I am constantly searching with a vengeance for any type of entertainment outside of a screen, and this is a fun one for all ages,” says Rosson.
While the game’s rules can be confusing at first, it’s nothing that a good teacher and several rounds can’t fix.
“It can be very overwhelming when you sit down for the first time to learn all the ins and outs,” says Rosson. “Reading the National Mahjong League card, in itself, is super overwhelming when first introduced. You have an entirely new set of suits and neutral tiles; how you build the walls, how you deal, how you ‘Charleston.’ Then, finally, you have to learn how to actually play the game by discarding and calling for tiles.
“But once you win that first mahjong, and if you have any competitive bone in your body, you are hooked. I love that it’s constantly different. Every hand. Every game. Every group. It keeps you on your toes and makes you work your brain! It makes you think outside of the box,” says Rosson.
Mary Clair Cumbaa of Cumbaa Design Company in Indianola, has similar sentiments about the game and has seen its popularity rise not only in her hometown, but in Starkville as well, where she also owns The Olive Tree.
“I started carrying the Oh My Mahjong line at The Olive Tree in Starkville. We really didn’t promote it but set up a section in the store, which sold out quickly. There are people who have been playing for a long time, but the vendors have modernized it and are bringing it back. I think it got popular again during COVID, with people looking for something to do. Some of the new lines were born during that time,” says Cumbaa. “I discovered it in January at market, and I didn’t exactly know what it was, so they sent some teachers to Mississippi to teach. We recently held a Mahjong 101 and 102 class at the Indianola Country Club for people who wanted to learn how to play!”
Emily Lewis of Leland also picked the game up earlier this year. “I had been seeing it all over social media for about a year and just knew I wanted to be a part of the game, but at the time, it had not made it to the Delta yet. I was drawn to all the bright colors and loved looking at everyone’s pictures, but I really did not know a thing about the game. I had played a mahjong matching game on my phone, but that is nothing like playing American-style mahjong,” says Lewis.
If there’s one thing the Delta ladies know how to do, it’s gather their friends and host a heck of a get-together, and that’s a common thread that keeps popping up when talking about the game. With its colorful sets that complement flower arrangements, fun dinnerware, whimsical cocktails, and more, mahjong has become not just a game but a chance to pull out all the stops for family and friends.
Lewis says, “It’s fun to go to different homes and play. We’ve even played pool mahjong! With you only needing four players, it’s really easy to play anywhere. Right now, everyone wants to play, so I play about three to four times a week!”
Rosson agrees. “Setting a beautiful tablescape begins the game. Tablecloths, cocktail napkins, cocktail stirrers, and, of course, the tiles, the mats, the racks. The tile sets are so fun because as long as you have your suits and neutral tiles, you can really make them as pretty and creative as you want.”
With such popularity, Rosson says she’s confident there will be mahjong-themed ornaments at Christmas and even jewelry made from the tiles. “They are making bags, unique boxes, soaps, even floating tables so you can play in the pool. No detail is missed but isn’t that one of the best qualities of a good hostess?” she laughs.
Laura Howell is also in on the trend. She divides her time between the south Delta town of Tribbett and Chattanooga, Tennessee. Howell loves games and started playing bridge a few years ago when a group of experienced bridge “sharks” taught a new group of “young” women in Greenville.
“I only started playing mahjong this year after a friend won a group lesson in a silent auction from a certified rep of one of the larger mahjong companies. It was such a fun girls’ night!” she says.
She quickly started playing in Chattanooga to meet new people. Then, when she came home to the Delta for the summer and realized she didn’t have anyone to play with, she started teaching her friends. “I am not certified, just someone who loves cards and board games,” Howell clarifies.
She recently taught a group of thirty-two women in Greenwood. “For me, mahjong is easy to teach, and you can play with four people, but unlike bridge, there are variations where you can play with just two or three people. It’s been a great way for me to meet new people. Even my ten- and twelve-year-old boys like to play!”
One thing everyone agrees on is that the social aspect of the game is just as fun as the game itself.
“I love the camaraderie. I also love the pomp and circumstance, the rules and etiquette, and I love the competitive end of it. It’s a rush when it all comes together!” says Rosson.
Lewis also agrees and takes matters into her own hands when it comes to expanding play here in the Delta. She started a Facebook group called Mahjong in the Mississippi Delta, where players could share resources, find games and events, and connect with other players throughout the region.
“People are excited about the game,” says Cumbaa. “The mental health aspect of it is so important to keep your mind sharp. And it’s a great way to get together.”
Howell agrees. “It’s fun to see mahjong being played across such a wide age range. My mother-in-law, Martha Jane Howell, hosts a weekly group of her peers in Clarksdale. She also looks forward to getting to play with her grandsons as well!
What once brought inhabitants of different communities together for social gatherings hundreds of years ago continues to do the same here in the Delta, and it appears it’s not slowing down any time soon.
