African Tarot: Journey into the Self
This deck is originally from South Africa and is
entirely populated with people of color. The scenes are obviously
based on Pamela Colman-Smith's work. The art is very colorful,
but the drawings look childish. The card titles are done in a
handwritten style reminiscent of grade school penmanship. Overall
the deck has a rather cartoonish look. There is a strange mixture
of costumes. Persons in the scenes wear everything from business
suits to grass skirts. The Majors and Court Cards have the same
names as their Waite-Smith counterparts. The cards are rather
small, measuring only 2 1/4" X 3". They come in a
corrugated cardboard box. The title card provides the following
description: "In this deck of
tarot cards, the imagery draws largely on the African Experience
and is depicted in naive art style. The artwork reflects the
level of consciousness in our present world with emphasis not
only on traditional tarot symbolism, but on the invocation of
childlike emotions. The imagery and portrayals are intended to
gently guide individuals back into their true nature".
The little booklet that comes with the deck provides
surprisingly profound interpretations for a booklet of this type,
especially since the deck has such a playful look. Upright and
reversed interpretations are provided for each Major Arcana card,
and a third section called Vibration is provided as
well. The Minor Arcana interpretations are upright only, but each
card has a short section modifying the meaning if the card lies
next to certain other cards. The brief introduction to the deck
al
so
makes the following statement:
"We believe that it is both
pertinent and appropriate that this deck hails from South Africa,
a nation that chose to walk the path of 'Justice' by 'setting
things right' with the inauguration of Nelson Mandela as
President in 1994. We are blessed to be able to share a tool
which enables a deeper look at the interrelatedness of all
dimensions of life: access to intuitive knowledge and active
participation in the world. The back design of the cards is
inspired by the Shangaan culture (one of the indigenous cultural
groups in South Africa): the tortoise symbolizes the 'slow coming
of justice'."
I recommend this deck for collectors, and for those looking
for a deck depicting people of color. It would also work well for
children because of the small size, bright colors, and
non-threatening look of the deck.
See more cards from the African Tarot
- African Tarot: Journey into the Self
- ISBN: 1-57281-020-3
- Published by US Games Systems, 179 Ludlow St,
Stamford, CT 06902, (800)54402637, Fax (203)353-8431
Review Copyright 1997 Michele
Jackson
Page Copyright 2000 Diane Wilkes
