What if we told you there’s a tabletop card game that brings Brunei’s traditional snacks to life, with beloved treats taking centre stage in the deck? This is the simple yet captivating concept behind KUEHKU!, a card game created by 29-year-old Shannon Osman, an operations manager at a training and team-building company.
Debuting in 2020, the game is a charming celebration of heritage. It was recently released in expanded version featuring even more Malay Bruneian cuisine — a reflection, Shannon believes, of the growing appreciation for locally made products, even in the realm of tabletop games.
The idea for the game first came to Shannon during her university days. As a Geography major, she gained deeper insights into Brunei’s local culture through her studies, sparking her desire to present it in interesting and engaging ways.
“Many people in Brunei start side businesses involving food, which is a saturated market. Since Bruneians love their food, I thought, ‘Why not make a game about food?’” she said.
At the same time, Shannon “wanted to make something that felt familiar to us, something fun but rooted in our identity.” Yet, as a student, she lacked the resources to bring her idea to life, leaving it to sit on the back burner.
“Once I graduated and started working, I decided to take the first step and finally write down the gameplay,” Shannon explained. But even then, progress was slow, with procrastination contributing to delays.
“I had a rough idea. I knew I wanted it to be a card game featuring cute little kueh, but turning that idea into something playable took time,” she shared.
Months of refining the gameplay followed and Shannon eventually began testing it — all by herself at first.
“I played the game by myself first — literally sitting in all the seats, rotating and playing as everyone. Once I had something more solid, I invited friends to playtest it.”
For Shannon, however, this humble card game is far more than just a commercial venture. Despite its success, it remains a deeply personal project that underscores the significance of play and its potential to be leveraged not only commercially but culturally, creating an experience that honours the average Bruneian’s favourite pastime.
“Food is such an integral part of our culture,” continued the budding tabletop game designer. This cultural element forms the heart of her scrumptious one-off passion project, recalling a memory from her primary school days, when a special lesson was taught on a fateful day in 2004.
“Back then, ‘Malay Islamic Monarchy (MIB)’ classes were still called Sivik and for this lesson, our teacher asked every student to bring in kueh. We all pushed our tables together and laid out the different kueh we had brought, like a little potluck.”
Shannon confessed that this was the first time she took any real interest in local delicacies or culture. Instead of learning about them from a textbook, she found greater joy and insight by mingling with her classmates and asking about their kueh.
Given how deeply kueh is woven into our culture, everyone has a story about it — whether it’s one passed down through generations, a modern twist on a classic, or perhaps a kueh you haven’t seen or tasted in a while.
“This teacher’s simple yet creative approach transformed an ordinary class into a memorable experience for all of us.
“This memory also reminds me that learning about culture should never feel boring. Culture is one of the most fascinating things you can learn about,” she added, noting that culture and community can both benefit from the element of play.
Furthermore, the card game offers an avenue for Bruneian creatives to showcase their talent, even in a relatively new field such as tabletop games.
While Shannon is the creator of the game, she collaborated with a number of Bruneian artists to bring the deck of culinary delights tolife.
“I didn’t do any of the artwork myself. Alfi Sufinah worked on the character designs, Liyana Hanif created the booklet, Jo Lin Ong handled the polishing, final clean-up and colouring and Qifah Abdullah designed the back of the cards and the box for both editions.”
She is also supported by Just Bruneians, a creative movement aimed at inspiring, admiring and empowering local talent in Brunei.
“One of the greatest potentials we have is in our creative industry,” Shannon said. “Bruneians have some truly talented artists and I’m really passionate about that. That’s one of the core factors behind the game: it’s another platform to spread our culture and give recognition to our local artists.”
Beyond the cultural sentiment, which fosters nostalgia and pride, the card game also helps pave the way for commercialising creativity in Brunei.
“Art doesn’t have to sit in a gallery — it can be functional, playful and enjoyed,” she added.
Looking ahead, Shannon is already planning her next steps as a tabletop game designer. She hopes to work on a new game while also creating Malay translations of her current card game to make it accessible to new audiences.
Eventually, she envisions penetrating the regional market and positioning her game as a Brunei tourism product. – Wardi Wasil
