Where Strategy Trumps Luck in Every Hand
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Standard
R400
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R450
History of Thunee
Thunee is the game that evokes nostalgic and sentimental memories of evenings seated around the braai, high-spirited laughter and friendly debate. It is believed that thunee originated in Durban, invented by the Indian indentured labourers with variations of the trick-taking game found in India and Mauritius.
Having been engraved into the hearts of the South African Indian community, and Durban as a whole, for over a century, Durbanite, Shane Singh encapsulates the rich history of the game in his new customised memento thunee pack.
A top view of the standard Thunee Guru box set without the customisation
The Thunee Guru standard box set with the wooden ball-cards and custom name on the front
“My grandfather, Lloyd Naidoo, was a masterful and artful player. He inspired my late dad, Nirvan Singh and uncles to become deft hands at outsmarting. This got me thinking of making a memento package of this legendary game as a keepsake gift for a friend,” said Singh.
After creating an exclusive thunee pack for a friend, who was emigrating, others saw the unique product and requested their own individual mementos. Two years later, the Thunee Guru brand hit the market turning a passion project into an exciting business venture.
Singh, who takes extreme pride in his heritage, chose to engrave the SS Truro onto the box as a way to connect and illustrate the rich history of Indians in South Africa.
“It is a proudly South African product! The box and wooden cards are specifically handcrafted and act as weights for when the game goes outdoors. This year marked 160 years of Indians having arrived in South Africa, which is such a profound legacy,” he concluded.
The complete contents of The Thunee Guru standard box set including a pack of Bicycle playing cards
How It All Began
Shreneve pictured with The Thunee Guru box set
Shreneve pictured with the very first prototype of the The Thunee Guru Box Set.
Shreneve Singh, 35, of Johannesburg, has come up with the Thunee Guru gift set, which he hopes will become a family keepsake – passed down from one generation to the next.
“My dad, Clive, owned the shop Just Bunnies in Unit 2, Chatsworth, and in the early ’90s it was a 24-hour eatery. As a child, I remember seeing groups of men eat and relax while playing cards. I learnt that they were playing thunee,” said Singh.
“As I got older, my dad explained the rules and taught my two sisters and me to play. It was the start of a family tradition. Every week, we found ourselves around a table playing thunee. And at most family gatherings and parties, or even after a prayer, you would notice four people walk away to start the game. It requires you to strategise, which makes it more fun.”
In 2017, while playing thunee with friends, he said they began discussing that the game was unique to Indian South Africans.
“After a google search, we found out that thunee was started by Indian indentured labourers who came to South Africa. I then decided that I wanted to revolutionise the game. My mother, Sharmaine, and I brainstormed a few ideas.
“We decided to improve the overall packaging, so people could gift the game to others. The set comes in a wooden box that can be personalised with the owner’s name. We then added four wooden six cards, or ball cards, so when you are playing outside and it’s windy, the cards will not blow away. The wooden six cards also serves as a weight holder.”
He said he opted for a bicycle brand pack.
“In Indian homes, the bicycle pack is the the most cherished, so we decided not to change from the narrative.”
Singh also included a QR code on the inside of the wooden box. Once scanned, the players can learn about the game.
“The QR code takes you to a Wikipedia page on the origins of thunee and how it is played. I initially wanted to add a scroll in the box with the history. However, I realised that many people have Smartphones and they could scan and read up on it.”
The gift set was launched last week and the interest, he said, was growing. “A lot of people want the personalised gift set.”