Pakistan: A country whose roots were never meant to be amalgamated with western beliefs but with time, an existential crisis occurred which led to this fusion/fiction. The problem that has started is that in amalgamating and trying to balance two different cultures - as a way of promoting your own roots so they become modern and acceptable, we’ve forgotten the integrity of our own culture and have gotten too involved in the, say, pop side of it.
We designed a monopoly that represents Pakistani culture. The purpose was to design something that is relatable and easily understood by all classes. This game is not only aesthetically pleasing but is filled with local references. We tried to communicate a fusion to the audience; an amalgamation of two genres, the same layout as the original monopoly with a desi (local) interpretation.
PLAYING THE GAME
This Monopoly is based on actual properties in the capital city of the Pakistani province of Punjab: Lahore.
The Game starts with all the players placing their placeholders on the GO spot. Once on the spot, each player collects 2000 Rupees ($20), a life changing sum for the ordinary Pakistani, and a cinema ticket for the affluent, from Papa ka batwa (Dad’s Wallet) once at the beginning of the game. Players move ahead by rolling the dice.
When a player lands on a property, he can choose to buy it or leave it and if it has already been bought, the player has to pay the rent for standing on the spot. All the properties come with their own perks: Buy High Court and you’ll never have to go to jail, buy the Bilawal House and you can take over any 5 properties already owned by other player, Buy the Bank of Punjab and you get to start over after you’ve gone bankrupt!
From cow dung gutters to the exquisite properties of Bahria Town, the police man in his black uniform with his thick stick, to the finger-lickin’ good Kebabs of Food Street, here are the little things in the old cities that make Pakistan what it is but don‘t take our word for it though, you’d have to spend a year in a one-star hotel in Laxmi chowk to get the thrill you can only get in Pakistan!
THE PLACEHOLDERS - پلیس ہولڈرز
THE CASH - پیسے
BILLION DOLLAR BUS SERVICE
Once upon a time the politicians got together and decided to end poverty, illiteracy, and hunger. They spent weeks locked behind meeting rooms and they finally came up with a solution that could end all these: The Metro Bus Station.
Buy one of the stations and you can stop each of your opponents from moving spaces if they land on your station for 5 turns. Buy all of them and you can permanently freeze your opponent on the stations!
THE BOARD - بورڈ
HOW TO WIN THE GAME
The formula’s quite simple. If you have government officials in your contact list say geo, bilawal house, high court, and/or if you are fond of giving away money - would definitely help when a police officer comes your way, or even better; if you own a gun, this country/game is your dream land. Survival here requires you to be a genius at bending rules. You could own or just hire a group of people with wooden sticks, place a few charpaayis (local crafted bed) at your chosen location and claim your ownership.You could also play fair and watch others win while you eat Paan at bilal Paan Shop, or just go to Meera’s and party your life away. Then there’s always your sweetheart at Lawrence garden!
How about a bearded guy shoving mangoes in your mouth and distributing free cars? Yes? Well, we’ve got that covered too. I can see Amir Liaqat from the show Inam ghar running right at you!
Besides that, if you want to a steady game, keep the rule book in the bin and do whatever you will.
Jokes apart, as our local saying goes: Jaen pakistan nae wekheya oh jameya nae. (Who hasn’t visited Pakistan hasn’t yet been born), this country offers the humblest hospitality and the richest of cultures. Play this game, joke around, and be part of this astonishingly diverse country, we promise you you’ll have the time of your life!
Pakistan Zindabad! Long Live Pakistan!
ADAPTED FOR THE SUBJECTIVE ATLAS OF PAKISTAN
The Monopoly we made was selected for The Subjective Atlas of Pakistan, one from a series of Subjective Atlases created by a dutch designer, Annelys de Vet.
Through a series of subjective atlases alternative views are developed towards political entities that lack a nuanced representation in the media. Since 2003 designer Annelys de Vet and associates are developing these publications that are ‘mapping’ a country, region or political entity on a personal way by it’s inhabitants themselves. They are invited to map their country in their own way; political, critical, culinary, romantic, negative or positive. Personal involvement as a starting point, with the aim to produce human, unconventional and ‘honest’ images.
This is just a mockup of our portion in the Atlas:
Thank you for watching!
Monopoly 2.0:
Learn more about The Subjective Atlases here:
