We love Vancouver for its breathtaking mountains, its sushi scene and now—thanks to local artist Angela Fama—its unexpectedly vibrant conversations about death. Enter the Death Conversation Game, a deck of cards designed to help people actually talk about the one thing we’re all guaranteed to experience (but rarely acknowledge).
Fama, a transdisciplinary artist and trained end-of-life doula, created the game 10 years after surviving a near-fatal car accident at 30. Realizing there wasn’t a casual, open way to discuss death, she developed this deck to spark meaningful conversations—whether with friends, family or even strangers. The response was overwhelming. Turns out Vancouverites are dying to talk about death.
She first launched the deck in 2019, but the death cards have continued to have a life. “It is available for hard-copy purchase through my website, alongside a digital app version, if that’s preferred,” says Fama. “This is the first year that I’ve been able to have it also in brick and mortar stores.” The Death Conversation Game has also expanded into live, community-driven events across the city, including monthly facilitated conversations at Poke Community Acupuncture. Whether you’re dealing with grief, preparing for the inevitable or just macabre-curious, these talks offer a safe (and surprisingly uplifting) space to explore mortality.
You can pick up the deck at local indie bookstores like Massy Books, Blim and Banyen Books, or rent a deck at Emily Carr University Library, Spartacus Books or Poke (“I want it to be really accessible to everyone,” says Fama). On the go? Download the digital version and tackle that existential dread as you run along the seawall; let’s call it running for your life.
