PLAYING THEIR CARDS RIGHT

THESE UGANDAN GAME DESIGNERS AND FOUNDERS ARE HOLDING UP A MIRROR TO SOCIETY WITH THEIR ART.

-  Alastair Hagger

As many a traveler knows, you're never alone if you've packed some cards. You could indulge in the terse isolation of Solitaire, but in East Africa, you can make an instant friend with an invitation to a game of matatu, a simple, addictive pastime played with a standard 53-card pack.

The game is often encountered on the eponymous minibuses in the region, as seats can sometimes be turned to face each other so a feisty card battle can ensue.

A colonial acculturation introduced from Europe, card play thrived in the brighter, warmer climes of the African continent, where playing games like matatu on the streets triggered a viral propagation of these easily-learned diversions.

Since returning home after studying abroad, two childhood friends have created a company that reconfigures the hobby with a Ugandan twist, tapping into card games' inherent sociability and low barrier to entry. Denzel Muhumuza and JJ Asiimwe are the founders of the company Mizano, and creators of a vivacious range of games that draw on the cultural idiosyncrasies of modern Uganda.