They are used in poker, battle, bridge, belote, rummy or tarot… Cards are probably one of the oldest and most popular games in the western world. There are several variations, different formats, but the characters they represent, inspired by history or the Bible, are systematically white-skinned. It is to “take the opposite view” of these usual representations and breathe “diversity” that Maéva Tchibinda, a illustrator from Montreuil now residing in Nantes, launched the Afrö game. Consisting of 54 cards (four families of thirteen and two jokers), Afrö is similar to the traditional game, except that it is distinguished by its kings, queens and jacks illustrated by black or mixed-race people.
“The idea was proposed to me at the beginning of 2021 by my uncle, an African-American trader living near Boston (United States), says the artist, aged around 30. As I like to play with codes, I decided to take up the challenge. I drew the faces spontaneously, without imitating anyone, with different hairstyles and features so that all people of color could recognize themselves. The characters’ clothes, colorful and full of patterns, recall certain African warrior outfits. “It’s a militant game, of course, but above all a game. There is no community intent. I wanted to create something playful, accessible, that fits into every home. Everyone can make it their own,” insists Maéva Tchibinda.
“Many thanks”
The initial order being intended for the American market, the designer was encouraged by a friend to develop the concept for France, where there was really no equivalent. More than 3,100 euros will thus be collected, via a crowdfunding campaign, to start production. “I received a lot of encouragement, thanks, I was told that it met a need… At one point, it overwhelmed me a bit,” says the former fine arts student.
Printed in Alsace, the game has been, for a year, distributed on the Internet, as well as in a few stores in Paris and Nantes. If the commercial success remains modest (420 copies sold), the returns, from all over Europe, are “very positive”. “I love this game and our customers love it too. It is original, the line is very pretty and it allows to highlight the minorities”, comments Isabelle, manager of the shop. Singaporean association specializing in the promotion of “talent from migration”.
“Images influence us on a daily basis”
“This Afrö game is also a way of questioning the world, is convinced Maéva Tchibinda. Long before this project, I used to walk around with dice or a deck of cards in my pocket. But I had never wondered about these white representations. When you think of a black person, you quickly take shortcuts: it’s the musician, the sportsman, the poor, the immigrant. We do not necessarily imagine the banker, the king or the queen. »
After Afrö, the illustrator would like to offer a new range of cards with “interbreeding, women, children… Not necessarily the Afro side. And, why not, hijack other games or symbols with his pencil strokes. “The images that surround us in society are not trivial. They influence us on a daily basis, they become words, then actions. They can divide us or, on the contrary, serve to transmit love. »