Remember the announcement in the last issue about our new game “Lost & Found in the the Rainforest”? Since then, the game has made its rounds in the network, making many NGOs and communities we work with “NTFP gamers” … whoever thought that work could be so fun?

Inspiration for the game came from the traditional board game called Goose, which has some similarity to the childhood favorite Snakes and Ladders. The game of Goose is simple – it is a race of geese (the game pieces) to the center of the board which is “goose heaven”. You throw the dice and encounter various obstacles (or goodies) along the way. The first one in the middle is the winner.
We gave the game a twist, NTFP-EP style. Instead of “goose heaven,” it is our vision of a sustainable community-managed forest. The successes and obstacles are true-to-life. So you may encounter a run-in with a wild boar, tribal conflict or more seriously, have to face a mining concession threatening to bulldoze your forest. On the more positive side, you may finally acquire some much needed technology for your honey processing or push your products into a good marketing outlet.

The final product is a sturdy tarpaulin gameboard – all the better to bring to communities and set them on the floor (or anywhere else), unique game pieces, a game guide, all in a bamboo case.

We’re very pleased that the game has been received very positively, triggering discussions on issues related to forest management including conversion to oil palm, encoachment of mining concessions in forestland, and many others. There are plans already for a Khmer adaptation and translation for Cambodian partners. NTFP-EP has a limited number of the bamboo case edition of the game for sale, in the hopes that funds generated would support further distribution and translation.

Thank you to the very “game” collaborators for making the game possible:

Zul M.S. of Riak Bumi in Pontianak, Indonesia for his fantastic illustrations, which were finalized virtually with the secretariat

The communities of Lake Sebu and Palawan, Philippines for the playing pieces – featuring T’boli beading made into various animals, a mini shoe made from T’boli tinalak, and the tiny slipper and jug made from bamboo. {Aloisa Zamora-Santos}

For inquiries, please email us at publications@ntfp.org