NORTH AFRICAN AND SAHARAN TOY AND PLAY CULTURES

an approach based on the Unit of Analysis

Jean-Pierre Rossie

PowerPoint Presentation for the SCCR Symposium

Unit of Analysis in Contemporary Social Cultural Research:

A Global Perspective

chair: Wally Karnilowicz - Victoria University, Australia

Society for Cross-Cultural Research

Albuquerque, New Mexico, USAFebruary 19, 2010

research in the Tunisian Sahara, 1975/1977

sand desert and stone desert

rural worlds

research in Morocco 1992 - today

urban worlds

research resources:

fieldwork in the Tunisian Sahara and in Morocco

collection of North African and Saharan toys of the Musée de l’Homme, Paris

bibliography of the concerned regions

Moroccan dolls are short-living cultural objects

eighteen-months-old girl with one of her first dolls

made with apiece of cactus

boys seldom make dolls

doll representing

a performerin the

ahwash dance

girls often create dolls for theirmarriage feast games, household games and

games staging female activities

children’s dolls as carriers of adult world’s significations

the groom carries a dagger and

a bag with herbsas magical protection

the bride

has herface covered

against theevil eye

pregnant woman and her

husband

mother with baby and small daughter

sweet wrappers have been used as dresses

mistress and weavers with daughters at the loom

dolls for rituals and dolls for playing rituals

belghenja dollmade by

women to be walked in

processionduring the

ritual forobtaining rain

and

belghenja dolls as toys

belghenja dolls to play the ritual for obtaining rain

Baba Ashurand his wife

(left)

doll frame witha bone of the

aïd el kebir sheep

social change in Morocco and children’s games and toys

globalization oftoy and play cultures

re-contextualizing imported toys

adapting second hand dolls to local fashions

emigrants’ daughters visiting their family in Morocco

girl at the hospital with mother and female doctor (right)

changing values and attitudes in civil society

as represented in play and toys

pretend play in relation to ahome for unmarried pregnant women

and handicapped children

black bride and white groom

influence of the toy industry

why make it yourself if you can buy it really cheap

made in China but bought in South Morocco in 2005

play culture of the children

play culture for the children

children’s games and toys should be integrated intothe tangible and intangible heritage of humanity

books on Saharan and North African Toy and Play Culturesfor information and documents/photos see www.sanatoyplay.org

Photography

Khalija Jariaa made the photos of slides 8, 16 left, 17, 18 bottom, 19, 23, 24 and 27

Jean-Pierre Rossie made the photos of the other slides