Pulô
A Kapwa-inspired Boardgame
FEATUREDTOYS
"When asked for the closest English equivalent of kapwa, one word that comes to mind is the English word “others.” However, the Filipino word kapwa is very different from the English word “others.” In Filipino, kapwa is the unity of the “self” and “others.” The English “others” is actually used in opposition to the “self,” and implies the recognition of the self as a separate identity. In contrast, kapwa is a recognition of shared identity, an inner self shared with others."
-Enriquez
"Staying with the trouble means making oddkin; that is, we require each other in unexpected collaborations and combinations, in hot compost piles. We become - with each other or not at all.”
- Donna Haraway
Pulô. Tagalog. noun. island.
Inspired by the Filipino concept of kapwa and Haraway's oddkin, Pulô is a cooperative boardgame about surviving in an island with threats of typhoons and invaders.
Started during the MDEF program and still a work-in-progress, the game is intended to 1. portray the interconnectedness of beings, human and non-human, 2. stimulate strategic cooperation and 3. incorporate some (simple and simplified) Philippine culture - words, history (of colonialism), mythology, baybayin.
Gameplay
Characters
Human // Tao
Fisher folk // Mangingisda
Farm folk // Magsasaka
Shaman // Babaylan
Invader // Mananakop
Non-human // ‘Di Tao
Forest // Kagubatan
Mystic/Spirit // Anito
Win Conditions
Survive 12 months a.k.a. rounds:
- all beings must survive, including invader, with at least 1 life
- keep Star token safe
Consequent lose conditions
- invader and the Star token are in the same tile
- a player reaches 0 life at the end of a round
Starting Position
All players freely place their tokens on the board, this will be their starting position.
Turn Order
Players arrange themselves around the board. Starting from the fisher folk, the turn order goes clockwise.
<<This is a WIP so all other details, actions and versions are still being documented in notion.>>
Prototyping & Playtesting
Thanks to many friends, we have already conducted a number of play tests and gathered feedback.
The next big step is to create a video game version so we can play with more people! If you are interested in developing this with me, then just let me know 😁