Settler

What’s unsettling about Catan: How board games uphold colonial narratives

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, January 30, 2024
Assistant, Snakes and ladders, Death, The Washington Post, Inuit, Culture, Cree, Decolonization, History, Interview, First Nations, Elder, Settler, Colonialism, Risk, Post-war, Snake, Indigenous peoples, Nature, Mechanics, Ladder

The death of Klaus Teuber, creator of popular board game Catan, marked the passing of a board game giant.

Key Points: 
  • The death of Klaus Teuber, creator of popular board game Catan, marked the passing of a board game giant.
  • The German-born dental technician-turned-game designer invented the game, originally called Settlers of Catan, in 1995 while managing a dental lab.
  • That same year Catan won one of board gaming’s most prestigious awards, the German Spiel des Jahres.

Settler colonialism


In interviews, Teuber said he started creating games in the 1980s to help deal with the stress of his dental career. “I developed games to escape,” he said. “This was my own world I created.” The Settlers of Catan — renamed Catan in 2015 — wasn’t really Teuber’s own world, it was a playable version of the American dream.

  • As historian Lorenzo Veracini says, “the Settlers of Catan is really about settler colonialism.” The success of Catan also codified a certain kind of game play that has similarly proliferated worldwide, one that’s invested in the specific historical, economic and political factors of settler colonialism.
  • The Settlers of Catan was not the first time a board game touched on colonial or imperialist discourses.
  • However, because players in Catan explicitly take on the roles of settlers, this particular board game’s engagement in the rhetoric of settler colonialism set new precedents.

Decolonizing gameplay

  • In these games, Indigenous identity, history, culture and sovereignty emerge as essential elements of world-building and game mechanics.
  • Board game designer and Assistant Professor of Interactive Media Greg Loring-Albright has shown with First Nations of Catan that it is possible to modify and decolonize gameplay by drawing attention to issues of Indigenous sovereignty.
  • Another excellent example of this is Sínulkhay and Ladders by Ta7talíya Michelle Nahanee, a Squamish decolonizing facilitator, creative director and Indigenous changemaker.


Biz Nijdam does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.

Board Games Market size to grow by USD 3.42 billion from 2022 to 2027, Market is fragmented due to the presence of prominent companies like Atlas Games, Alderac Entertainment Group and Berkshire Hathaway Inc., and many more - Technavio

Retrieved on: 
Friday, January 5, 2024
Online, Marketing, River Thames, Gibsons Games, Embracer Group, Walt Disney, Settler, Looney Tunes, Geography, USD, PD, Atlas Games, Alderac Entertainment Group, Mattel, White box, Hasbro, Stranger Things, CMON, Berkshire Hathaway, Video game

NEW YORK, Jan. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The board games market is estimated to grow by USD 3.42 billion from 2022 to 2027, growing at a CAGR of 7.55%.

Key Points: 
  • NEW YORK, Jan. 5, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- The board games market is estimated to grow by USD 3.42 billion from 2022 to 2027, growing at a CAGR of 7.55%.
  • The board games market is fragmented owing to the presence of many global and regional companies.
  • CMON Ltd. - The company offers Mayhem board games, such as Looney Tunes and Teen Titans Go.
  • The toys and games market is estimated to grow at a CAGR of 8.1% between 2022 and 2027.

MEDIA ALERT: PEOPLE OF PLAY’S CHICAGO TOY AND GAME FAIR

Retrieved on: 
Wednesday, November 1, 2023
Retail, Blogging, Events, Concerts, Education, Communications, General Entertainment, Preschool, Online Retail, Parenting, Other Retail, Children, Specialty, Family, Entertainment, Consumer, Sequence, Blox, POP, Sale, Chicago, Invention, John E. Blox, Jenga, Toy Association, Settler, Gray Matters, Star Wars, PLUSPLUS, Eventbrite, Marmal, The Walt Disney Company, GREAT, ASTRA, Chicago Toy Soldier Show, PLUS, Moose Toys, Toy, Mattel

-- Interactive booths with the hottest holiday toys and games from Box Blox, ChattySnaps, Cut.com, Duncan Toys, E-Blox, Flybar, Good Soul Brands, Gray Matters Games, Happy Camper Live, M&M Funky Stuff, MAGNA-TILES, Marmals, PlusPlus, Popular Playthings, Squaregles, The Pencil Grip, TOMY, Top Secret Toys, Yogibo and many more. Consumers can do their holiday shopping for the kiddos right on site!

Key Points: 
  • Kick off the holiday shopping season at the 21st annual Chicago Toy and Game Fair!
  • Presented by People of Play (POP), the Chicago Toy and Game Fair (CHITAG) is the largest toy and game fair open to the public in North America!
  • Many of the winning inventions have been licensed by these global companies and can be found on store shelves today!
  • - and try your hand at the Big Dice Shooter Game!

Global Content Industry Professionals Gather in Taipei for TCCF 2023

Retrieved on: 
Thursday, October 26, 2023
Cloud, Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, Democracy, CJ, Mediacorp, Education, Warner Bros. Discovery, International, US, Crazy Rich Asians, Story, Venice Film Festival, Renault, ASUS, Settler, Songshan, Television, B2B, Ministry of Culture, Animation, Ministry, The Killing Game, Speech, NVIDIA, Fuji TV, Freedom, IPS, Imagination, FIPRESCI, TCCF, Kadokawa Corporation, Joyride, IP, VFX, CJ ENM, Film industry, Creative industries, Culture

TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Media OutReach - 25 October 2023 - This October 25 the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) hosted a press conference at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park in Taipei to announce the 2023 edition of the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF).

Key Points: 
  • TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Media OutReach - 25 October 2023 - This October 25 the Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) hosted a press conference at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park in Taipei to announce the 2023 edition of the Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF).
  • This year’s event will take place from November 7 to 12 bringing together content industry professionals from renowned international media companies (Warner Bros.
  • TCCF 2023 features a full schedule of activities divided in three main sections: PITCHING, MARKET, and INNOVATIONS.
  • Taiwan Creative Content Fest 2023 takes place from November 7 to 12 at Songshan Cultural and Creative Park and Taipei New Horizon.

Indigenous Peoples Day offers a reminder of Native American history − including the scalping they endured at the hands of Colonists

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Male, Hair, Settler, Female, United Nations, Violence, War, Truth, Justice and Healing Council, Culture, Leadership, Survival, Reward, Woman, Indigenous peoples, Research, History, Scalp, Evidence, Native Americans, US, Name, Spencer Phips, New England Colonies, Indigenous Peoples' Day, Western United States, United, Memory, Lovewell, Genocide, Colonial, Eyewitness, People, Popular culture, Cochineal, Drug, Jewellery, Hunting, Petroleum jelly, Lace, Nursing, Native, Indigenous

In 2021, the Biden administration declared the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day.

Key Points: 
  • In 2021, the Biden administration declared the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day.
  • I am a scholar of Colonial-Indigenous relations and think that officially recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day – and, more broadly, Native Americans’ history and survival – is important.
  • Yet, Indigenous Peoples Day and Columbus Day should also serve as a reminder of the violent past endured by Indigenous communities in North America.

Understanding scalping

    • Popular culture is full of examples of Native Americans scalping white settlers.
    • In several Indigenous cultures in North America, scalping was part of human trophy taking, which involves claiming human body parts as a war trophy.
    • But just because scalping was practiced by some Native American societies, it does not mean that it was practiced by all.
    • In fact, Colonists’ use of scalping against Native American people likely accelerated this practice.

Scalp bounties in New England and California

    • Colonies, territories and states in what is now the U.S. used scalp bounties widely from the 17th through the 19th centuries.
    • Colonial governments in New England issued over 60 scalp bounties from the 1680s through the 1750s, typically during various conflicts between Colonists and Native Americans.
    • Massachusetts made the widest use of scalp bounties among the New England Colonies in the 1700s.
    • State and federal officials, as well as several businesses, supported this genocide by paying bounties to scalp hunters.

Memory and violence

    • Centuries later, California and Massachusetts have had different responses to their role in these sordid histories.
    • California has acknowledged “historic wrongdoings” and the violence committed against the Indigenous people who live in the state.
    • Gavin Newsom set up a a Truth and Healing Council to discuss and examine the state’s historical relationship with Native Americans.

Legacies of scalping

    • The legacies of violence and scalping are deeply rooted and can be observed in numerous parts of U.S. society today.
    • For instance, various communities, including Lovewell, Maine, and Spencer, Mass., are named after scalp bounty hunters.
    • Such town names, and the history of violence connected to them, often hide in plain sight.

Indigenous Peoples Day offers a reminder of Native American history − including the violence they endured at the hands of Colonists

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, October 3, 2023
Male, Hair, Settler, Female, United Nations, Violence, War, Truth, Justice and Healing Council, Culture, Leadership, Survival, Reward, Woman, Indigenous peoples, Research, History, Scalp, Evidence, Native Americans, US, Name, Spencer Phips, New England Colonies, Indigenous Peoples' Day, Western United States, United, Memory, Lovewell, Genocide, Colonial, Eyewitness, People, Popular culture, Cochineal, Drug, Jewellery, Hunting, Petroleum jelly, Lace, Nursing, Native, Indigenous

In 2021, the Biden administration declared the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day.

Key Points: 
  • In 2021, the Biden administration declared the second Monday in October as Indigenous Peoples Day.
  • I am a scholar of Colonial-Indigenous relations and think that officially recognizing Indigenous Peoples Day – and, more broadly, Native Americans’ history and survival – is important.
  • Yet, Indigenous Peoples Day and Columbus Day should also serve as a reminder of the violent past endured by Indigenous communities in North America.

Understanding scalping

    • Popular culture is full of examples of Native Americans scalping white settlers.
    • In several Indigenous cultures in North America, scalping was part of human trophy taking, which involves claiming human body parts as a war trophy.
    • But just because scalping was practiced by some Native American societies, it does not mean that it was practiced by all.
    • In fact, Colonists’ use of scalping against Native American people likely accelerated this practice.

Scalp bounties in New England and California

    • Colonies, territories and states in what is now the U.S. used scalp bounties widely from the 17th through the 19th centuries.
    • Colonial governments in New England issued over 60 scalp bounties from the 1680s through the 1750s, typically during various conflicts between Colonists and Native Americans.
    • Massachusetts made the widest use of scalp bounties among the New England Colonies in the 1700s.
    • State and federal officials, as well as several businesses, supported this genocide by paying bounties to scalp hunters.

Memory and violence

    • Centuries later, California and Massachusetts have had different responses to their role in these sordid histories.
    • California has acknowledged “historic wrongdoings” and the violence committed against the Indigenous people who live in the state.
    • Gavin Newsom set up a a Truth and Healing Council to discuss and examine the state’s historical relationship with Native Americans.

Legacies of scalping

    • The legacies of violence and scalping are deeply rooted and can be observed in numerous parts of U.S. society today.
    • For instance, various communities, including Lovewell, Maine, and Spencer, Mass., are named after scalp bounty hunters.
    • Such town names, and the history of violence connected to them, often hide in plain sight.

$30K cash prize up for grabs at Taiwan Creative Content Festival 2023

Retrieved on: 
Monday, May 22, 2023
Cannes Film Festival, Settler, Venice Film Festival, Huashan 1914 Creative Park, Freedom, The Last Queen, Language, CCDP, TCCF, Project, Korea Creative Content Agency, This Is My Country (film), Element, Television, Film industry, Animation

TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Media OutReach - 22 May 2023 - Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) is opening its PITCHING program to international entrants.

Key Points: 
  • TAIPEI, TAIWAN - Media OutReach - 22 May 2023 - Taiwan Creative Content Fest (TCCF) is opening its PITCHING program to international entrants.
  • The program invites film and TV makers to pitch their development stage projects for the chance to win a $30,000 USD cash prize, and access to funding opportunities from the event’s organizer, Taiwan Creative Content Agency (TAICCA) .
  • One outstanding project, chosen by international investors on the Project to Screen pitching days, will win the TCCF Award for Best Project, and the $30,000 USD cash prize.
  • TCCF 2023 will take place at Taipei’s Songshan Cultural and Creative Park, from November 7 to 12.

Global Board Games Market Outlook Report 2023: A $39.99 Billion Market by 2028 - Opportunities with Increased Strategic Product Launches and Capitalizing on Board Game Conventions - ResearchAndMarkets.com

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, April 18, 2023
Other Entertainment, Retail, Entertainment, Other Retail, Settler, Cube: 3D Puzzle Mayhem, Mechanics, Snack, Consumer, Hasbro, Video, Traction, Walmart, Best Buy, Risk, Catan, Bird, Video game, Toy, EU, Costco, Target, Mattel, Brexit

This, in turn, helps vendors cater to customers' requirements, thus ensuring the steady growth of the board games market.

Key Points: 
  • This, in turn, helps vendors cater to customers' requirements, thus ensuring the steady growth of the board games market.
  • One of the major challenges for the global board games market is the impact of global trade wars and tariffs imposed across borders.
  • The educational board games segment dominated the global board games market with over 41% share owing to the higher penetration of puzzles among end-users.
  • Product development in the board games market requires less investment than in other markets, such as mobile gadgets, video games, and others.

New Podcast Altitude: The Unsung Heroes of Cloud Transformation Explores Innovations in Cloud Networking with the People Who Make It Happen

Retrieved on: 
Tuesday, February 14, 2023
Cloud, Host, Life, Settler, Trust, The Innovator's Dilemma, Unsung Heroes, Pop, Retirement, Rock, Journey, Microsoft, SAP, F5, Inc., Woody, Rock and roll, Architecture, Video game, Altitude, Aircraft pilot

SANTA CLARA, Calif., Feb. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- Aviatrix, the pioneer of Intelligent Cloud Networking™, today announced the launch of a new podcast, Altitude: The Unsung Heroes of Cloud Transformation, hosted by Bryan "Woody" Woodworth, Sr. Principal Solutions Strategist at Aviatrix and former Microsoft Global Black Belt in networking and security. The series delves into the evolving world of cloud networking through interviews with IT analysts, Aviatrix customers, subject matter experts, and thought leaders sharing how to bring cloud transformation efforts to life.

Key Points: 
  • The series delves into the evolving world of cloud networking through interviews with IT analysts, Aviatrix customers, subject matter experts, and thought leaders sharing how to bring cloud transformation efforts to life.
  • Aviatrix launches new podcast, Altitude: The Unsung Heroes of Cloud Transformation.
  • According to Forrester , enterprises have already migrated 45% of their total application portfolio to a public cloud.
  • He truly empathizes with those finding themselves at a crossroad where it's either sink or swim as enterprises go all in on the cloud.

Wings Financial Credit Union to Acquire Settlers Bank

Retrieved on: 
Friday, November 4, 2022
Banking, Professional Services, Finance, Star Tribune, Star, ATM, LLP, Treasury, CEO, Organization, Credit union, Partnership, Wings Financial Credit Union, Honigman LLP, Settler, Solution, Bank, Cryptocurrency, Wing

Wings Financial Credit Union and SB Bancorp, Inc., the holding company for Settlers bank, announced today that the two organizations have reached an agreement for Wings to acquire the bank, including their three branch locations in Appleton, Madison, and Windsor, Wisconsin.

Key Points: 
  • Wings Financial Credit Union and SB Bancorp, Inc., the holding company for Settlers bank, announced today that the two organizations have reached an agreement for Wings to acquire the bank, including their three branch locations in Appleton, Madison, and Windsor, Wisconsin.
  • When the transaction is complete, Settlers bank locations will be re-branded as Settlers Best Credit Union, a division of Wings Financial Credit Union.
  • Raymond James & Associates, Inc. served as financial advisor and Honigman LLP, Chicago, IL served as legal advisor to Wings Financial Credit Union.
  • Wings Financial Credit Union is Minnesota's largest credit union and one of the top credit unions nationally, with over $8 billion in assets and more than 340,000 members.