Durban- The card game thunee has had a make-over.
Shreneve Singh, 35, of Johannesburg, has come up with the Thunee Guru gift set, which he hopes will become a family keepsake – passed down from one generation to the next.
“My dad, Clive, owned the shop Just Bunnies in Unit 2, Chatsworth, and in the early ’90s it was a 24-hour eatery. As a child, I remember seeing groups of men eat and relax while playing cards. I learnt that they were playing thunee," said Singh.
“As I got older, my dad explained the rules and taught my two sisters and me to play. It was the start of a family tradition. Every week, we found ourselves around a table playing thunee. And at most family gatherings and parties, or even after a prayer, you would notice four people walk away to start the game. It requires you to strategise, which makes it more fun.”
In 2017, while playing thunee with friends, he said they began discussing that the game was unique to Indian South Africans.
“After a google search, we found out that thunee was started by Indian indentured labourers who came to South Africa. I then decided that I wanted to revolutionise the game. My mother, Sharmaine, and I brainstormed a few ideas.
“We decided to improve the overall packaging, so people could gift the game to others. The set comes in a wooden box that can be personalised with the owner's name. We then added four wooden six cards, or ball cards, so when you are playing outside and it’s windy, the cards will not blow away. The wooden six cards also serves as a weight holder."
He said he opted for a bicycle brand pack.
“In Indian homes, the bicycle pack is the the most cherished, so we decided not to change from the narrative."
Singh also included a QR code on the inside of the wooden box. Once scanned, the players can learn about the game.
“The QR code takes you to a Wikipedia page on the origins of thunee and how it is played. I initially wanted to add a scroll in the box with the history. However, I realised that many people have Smartphones and they could scan and read up on it."
The gift set was launched last week and the interest, he said, was growing. “A lot of people want the personalised gift set."
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