The “Games for Decolonization” workshop held on March 21-22, 2024, was the kick-off event for Nijdam’s “Games for Decolonization” Project and an essential interdisciplinary contribution to the areas of Analog Games Studies dedicated to exploring the intersections between board games and discourses of settler colonialism, decolonization, Indigenous sovereignty, and social justice. The two-day workshop brought together Indigenous and settler scholars for critical conversations on the role of gaming cultures and tarot in decolonization and social justice work.
Highlights:
Christopher Marmolejo, Author of Red Tarot (2024) & Decolonial Tarot Practitioner
- Christopher Marmolejo kicked off the presentations on March 22 at 10 AM with a talk titled “Red Tarot: A Decolonial Guide to Divinatory Literacy.” Marmolejo, an author and decolonial tarot practitioner, framed literacy as a key to liberation and explored tarot as a form of critical literacy. Their presentation showcased how tarot cards could be used to subvert white supremacist-capitalist-imperialist-patriarchy dynamics, offering a radical epistemology that empowers LGBTQIA2S+ and BIPOC communities.
Mimi Khúc’s “Asian American Tarot”
- Mimi Khúc, a writer, tarot designer, and wellness and disability studies scholar from the University of Toronto, followed at 11:30 AM with her talk “The Asian American Tarot.” Khúc introduced her project that reimagines the tarot deck through the lens of Asian American experiences and studies. Her work highlighted the hidden emotional, psychic, and spiritual lives of Asian Americans and the systems of violence affecting them.
- At 1 PM, Evan Torner, an associate professor at the University of Cincinnati specializing in German Studies and Film & Media Studies, presented “Decolonizing Games and Games for Decolonization.” Torner discussed the intersection of board games and decolonization initiatives, sharing insights from his recent course on decolonizing board game cultures. He critiqued traditional board games using decolonial theory and outlined future strategies for decolonial board game design.
Dr. Jonathan Graves (UBC) introducing Game Theory to Workshop participants.
- The afternoon session at 3 PM featured Jonathan Graves from UBC and his students from ECON 221, who presented their game theory projects. This segment provided practical applications of game theory principles in the context of decolonization and social justice.
“Games for Decolonization” Board Game Night
- The workshop concluded with a Board Game Night at 4 PM, co-hosted by the German Students Association. This interactive event allowed participants to engage with decolonial board games and further the discussions initiated in the presentations.
Overall, the “Games for Decolonization” workshop fostered a rich exchange of ideas and practices, contributing to the ongoing discourse on decolonization and social justice through the unique lens of gaming cultures and tarot.