Pekka-peli
‘Pekka’, an additional card in the set, is an ethically-incorrect golly look-alike card, embodying the caricature of foreign heritage without a status or family structure. In other countries the game is often known as ‘Old Maid’, ‘Black Peter’, ‘Petter-spel’ or ‘Schwarzer Peter’.

Traditional Finnish children’s card game titled Pekka-game or Funny Families.
The Pekka-game consists of family members of four, illustrating the stereotypes of Caucasian Finns with various occupations such as the Baker, the Skipper, the Tailor, the Fisherman, the Farmer, the Pilot, the Banker, the Photographer, each with their wife, daughter and son. Pekka, an additional card in the set, is an ethically-incorrect golly look-alike card, embodying the caricature of foreign heritage without a status or family structure. In other countries the game is often known as ‘Old Maid’, ‘Black Peter’, ‘Petter-spel’ or ‘Schwarzer Peter’. The object of the game is to collect the sets of family members and avoid getting the loser-card Pekka.
Right: the front of the box shows the Pekka character. The captions are in Finnish and Swedish.


Above: Pekka-Peli card game, produced by Peliko/Martinex Oy, Raisio, Finland. The card names are in Finnish at the top and in Swedish at the bottom of each card. Traditional card games like these have been played by Finnish children for decades. The game is here in its original form.
Finnish cards have a relatively short history, presumably because the country only finally broke loose from Russian influence in 1920.
Right: the rules for two different games are included in the set.
Cards courtesy Reetta Hiltunen.
See also: Happy Families Reshuffle by Reetta Hiltunen Noddy Happy Families Jaques' Illustrated Proverbs Jaques' Happy Families Black Peter Walt Disney Cromy Card Games Zoo Comics.

By Simon Wintle
Member since February 01, 1996
Founder and editor of the World of Playing Cards since 1996. He is a former committee member of the IPCS and was graphics editor of The Playing-Card journal for many years. He has lived at various times in Chile, England and Wales and is currently living in Extremadura, Spain. Simon's first limited edition pack of playing cards was a replica of a seventeenth century traditional English pack, which he produced from woodblocks and stencils.
Related Articles

Mexican ethnic playing cards
Mexican ethnic groups depicted on playing cards by Fábrica de Naipes Cuauhtemoc.

Jeu Philatélique – Les Colonies Françaises
Philatelic card game featuring real postage stamps from the French colonies.

Seminole Wars deck
Seminole Wars deck by J. Y. Humphreys, Philadelphia, c.1819.

Pirritx eta Porrotx
Happy Families card game from the Spanish Basque Country.

Play Architecture
Twentieth century architects and their creations on a well-designed pack from Finland.

Jeu de 7 familles Les Dynasties d’Artisans Basques
Long-standing Basque businesses represented in a traditional card game with illustrations by Odile A...

Ubo cards
Traditional Ubo cards from the Philippines made from tree bark.

Motherpeace Round Tarot
An original and imaginative feminist tarot invoking matriarchal Goddess energy.

Hispania Romana
Educational card game depicting the Roman period in Spanish history.

7 Familles Le Manège Enchanté
The Magic Roundabout characters on a jeu de 7 familles designed by James Hodges.

Paris 2024 Olympics 3
Paris Games mascot Phryge engaged in different sports in a Happy Families-type game.

Colonial Art
A collection of 53 pieces of art showcasing detailed scenes from early American colonial life.

Jeu des 7 familles basques
A Happy Families-type game from the Basque country, with designs by Soledad Bravi and Agathe de Las...

Classic Card Games for Kids
A boxed set of playing cards, Happy Families and an alphabet pack with rules for 22 games.

Le jeu des 7 Familles ’Utuafare
Colourful Happy Families game from Tahiti depicting costumes from different archipelagoes.

Mohegan Sun playing cards
Mohegan Sun playing cards published by Gemaco for Mohegan Sun casino.
Most Popular
Our top articles from the past 28 days