African American Tarot - Rider-Waite through the lens of the diaspora
The African American Tarot uses the familiar Rider-Waite layout, but replaces its European symbolism with imagery from the African diaspora. The compositions are recognisable, but the cultural framing is different: precolonial kingdoms, spiritual traditions, and the African American experience shape what you see on every card.
Jamila Walker developed the concept with a focus on spiritual connection and historical representation. Thomas Davis drew the cards and provided the visual translation of that concept. Lo Scarabeo published the deck in its standard pocket format of 66 x 120 mm.
What the cards look like
The illustrations are figurative and painted in warm tones: brown, yellow, red, purple, and green. Figures wear clothing that references African textile patterns and historical periods. Backgrounds show elements from precolonial kingdoms or refer to spiritual practices from the diaspora.
The card backs have a brown background with a white-and-brown flowing line pattern in organic, concentric shapes. The box has an orange-yellow gradient at the top and a purple-blue section below, with the painted figure on the front. Card XVIII, for example, shows a standing figure with bow and arrow, dressed in a spotted animal-skin pattern, against a rocky landscape with a crowd in the background.
The cardstock is sturdy with a smooth finish. The cards shuffle easily. When laying out the cards, the details in clothing and backgrounds often tell a story that complements the standard Rider-Waite interpretation.
Who this deck works for
Beginners will find their way quickly: the Rider-Waite structure is familiar, and the expressive images support intuitive reading. Experienced readers get a different perspective on cards they know well, through a cultural context that is absent from most decks. People looking for imagery that connects to their own background or who want to learn about the symbolism of the African diaspora will find this deck relevant.
About the creators
Jamila Walker created the concept. Thomas Davis translated it visually into the illustrations. Together they produced a deck that takes both the tarot tradition and the culture it depicts seriously.
Specifications
- Number of cards: 78
- Size: 66 x 120 mm
- Cardstock: sturdy with smooth finish
- Publisher: Lo Scarabeo
- System: Rider-Waite
- Concept: Jamila Walker
- Illustrator: Thomas Davis
- Guidebook: multilingual (English, French, German, Spanish, Italian)
Questions we often get
Is the guidebook in English?
Yes. The instruction booklet is multilingual and includes English, French, German, Spanish, and Italian.
How does this deck differ from a standard Rider-Waite?
The structure is the same: 78 cards, the same layout, comparable compositions. The difference is in the cultural context. Where a classic Rider-Waite deck draws on European symbolism, this deck works with imagery from the African diaspora.
