Ashuraa children’s

feast in Morocco

from old agricultural rituals

to nowaday’s entertainment

Jean-Pierre Rossie

Children’s practices during ashura

   making dolls

   singing and playing music

   collecting gifts

   spraying water

   playing with fire

   children’s mascarade

Map of Morocco

Tiznit: a town center within old walls

Sidi Ifni: a small town on the Atlantic coast

Ikenwen: a village where old and new mix

women use this doll to ask for rain

girls create their version of this doll

children’s play during ashura

ashura dolls made with sheepbones

village girls still make their own dolls

also using plastic dolls they make dresses for

singing and making music for ashura

the younger one starts …

small drums: a traditional gift to children

together with the reed flute

local creativityand global toys

collecting gifts

spraying water

but now the toy is everywhere the same

the game remains

the ashura fires

making one’s own firework

the imashar mascarade of the young men

creating characters for the mascarade

being a bearded cyclist with goggles

or a wise old man

I am so proud with this mask my father made

PLAY, GAMES AND TOYS OFNORTH AFRICAN & SAHARAN CHILDREN

www.sanatoyplay.org