We're excited to introduce Hama Hama!, an innovative card game designed to explore Shona family relationships through interactive gameplay. The game builds upon our existing Hukama PaChiShona educational materials, transforming cultural learning into an engaging experience for the whole family.
How It Works
Players test their knowledge of Shona family relationships by building valid sets of relatives from different perspectives using cards representing various family titles. The game accommodates fast or slow play, individual or team participation, and competitive or collaborative formats.
Whether you have five minutes or an hour, whether you're playing solo or with a group of ten, Hama Hama! adapts to your situation.
The Development Journey
Our primary objective was creating a way to engage together in exploring and appreciating Shona family relationships from different perspectives. Early iterations underwent extensive playtesting with families across multiple countries before reaching the final version.
We learned that the most rewarding moments came when players discovered connections they hadn't considered before—realizing that the same person could be a sekuru to one player and a muzukuru to another.
Perspective-Shifting Mechanics
A distinctive feature of Hama Hama! involves perspective-shifting mechanics. Players must consider family relationships from various viewpoints, mimicking and expanding on the multi-faceted roles within Shona families.
In Shona culture, your relationship titles change depending on who is speaking. Your father's sister is your vatete, but to her own children, she's amai. Hama Hama! teaches this fluidity naturally through gameplay.
More Than Entertainment
Beyond entertainment value, we take pride in contributing to preserving and promoting Shona culture through play and digital technology. The game targets audiences ranging from heritage learners to cultural explorers across all age groups.
You don't need to be Shona to enjoy Hama Hama!—just curious about how different cultures understand family.
Get Your Copy
The physical card game and digital app version are available through our website and the App Store. Gather your family, deal the cards, and start exploring!
Hama Hama!