Senegalese playing cards: Les 9 foyers du Djolof

Un excellent jeu de déduction à l’image des familles sénégalaises

Réunis le plus de familles possibles en demandant des cartes à tes adversaires.

Choisis bien tes familles car chacune d’elles peut te donner un grand pouvoir à n’exercer qu’une seule fois.

A partir de 6 ans

These playing cards are like the “jeux de 7 familles” you may have already seen or used. The goal with these Senegalese cards is to complete the 9 different families from Senegal, or the Djolof empire. The Djolof (or Wolof) Empire comprised parts of Senegal, Mauritania, and the Gambia in the 14th – 16th centuries. These cards show modern Senegalese families with members such as co-spouses and those who are expatriated in other countries. The game cards are in French.

The game itself is simple, asking for members of the family using the last name of the family. You can play a more complicated version where certain families have certain “pouvoirs” or “powers” to add some excitement and surprises to the game.

Pedagogically, this is a great way to learn family vocabulary, physical characteristics, clothing, accessories, colors, and more. Through this game, you will gain a more profound understanding of family structures in Senegal and an opportunity to discuss the historical Djolof kingdom.

And, maybe hearing “Djolof” makes you think of the Jollof Rice wars? If you want to extend the conversation to food, you can learn about the UNESCO-recognized Senegalese thieboudienne (ceebu jën) also known in English as Jollof rice. Read more here in English or here in French.

Want to buy your own products for your French language classroom in Senegal? Consider joining a group of educators on an immersion trip to Senegal! Learn more here.