DESERT CHILDREN Toys & Play in the Tunisian Sahara & the Moroccan Mountains

Jean-Pierre Rossie Sociocultural anthropologist, Toy Museum, Sidi Ifni © 2006 J-P. Rossie

In the Tunisian Sahara 1975

From studying socialisation to studying play and toys

Saharan and North African play activities and toys Regions and populations Sources of information Continuity and change Research results Sand Desert

Stone Desert

Rural Worlds

Urban Worlds

Sources of Information F ieldwork in the Tunisian Sahara ( ) and in Morocco (1992- ) An important collection of toys from North Africa and the Sahara at the Musée de l’Homme in Paris (transfered to the new Musée du Quai Branly) The bibliography refering to the concerned regions

Continuity

Change

Research results Toy collection donated to the French Toy Museum for the project Jouets du Monde World Toys Publications

Jean-Pierre Rossie (2005) Toys, play, culture and society An anthropological approach with reference to North Africa and the Sahara 256 p., 144 ill. with included CD Information on:

On the CD included in this book one finds The 144 original color or black and white photos The volumes of the collection Saharan and North African Toy and Play Cultures Children’s dolls and doll play, 2005, 328 p., 163 ill. The animal world in play, games and toys, 2005, 229 p., 107 ill. Commented bibliography on play, games and toys, 2005, 61 p. Next year a new volume will be published Domestic life in play, games and toys, 240 ill. Two more volumes are planned Technical activities in play, games and toys Games of skill and chance

Three topics of toys and play activities are discussed Children’s creativity with natural and waste material Adult-child and child-child relations in toys and play Rituals and feasts in play activities and toys

When playing and creating toys children use a lot of natural material of mineral origin

of vegetal origin

of animal origin

Children use also much waste material

They use all resources available

And show a surprising inventiveness

Second-hand toys adapted to local manners

Technical discoveries modeling

Constructing vehicles

Simple wheels Complex wheels

Making one’s own skateboard

Globalisation of the toy market

Children’s know-how

Dolls without a face Dolls with a face

Modernised doll

Girl’s doll

Dolls for tourists

Adult-child relations Mother and child

Mother doll and her baby

Father and child

Big brother and little brother

The Sidi Ifni toy creator

Big girls or little mothers

Playgroups and the role of peers

Playing nomads’ life

Playing farmers’ life

Interpretation of women’s worlds

Girls’ dreams Matrimonial realities

Interpretation of men’s worlds Working in the oasis

Trading

Girls’ games

Boys’ games

Feasts and rituals

Mulud

Ashura

Sand mosque

Ritual for a child late in starting to walk

Everyone a musician

Initiation to dancing

Emigrants and gifts of toys

Children’s culture

Culture for children

Intercultural projects based on Saharan & North-African play, games & toys

Jean-Pierre Rossie (2005) Toys, play, culture and society An anthropological approach with reference to North Africa and the Sahara 256 p., 144 ill. with included CD Information on: