PowerPoint presentation for the ITRA congress

TOYS as LANGUAGE and COMMUNICATION

Catholic University of Portugal, Braga

July 23-25, 2014

communication and transmission between Moroccan children

through their toy making and play activities

Jean-Pierre Rossie

www.sanatoyplay.org

communicating about tangible and intangible aspects of adult life

in a childrens village at some distance of the houses

Anti-Atlas 2008

learning about feeding habits and rules: the tea ritual

Middle Atlas, 1994

explaining house construction activities

Anti-Atlas, 2007

transmitting information about the natural world

mastering the wind

Sidi Ifni, 2006

High Atlas, 1992

finding clay to make toys on a slippery slope

relating to nature when making toys with natural material

High Atlas, 1992 Anti-Atlas, 2002

learning to use waste material for creating toys

making a car, Sidi Ifni, 2005

transmitting attitudes, values and beliefs of the community

exchanging notions of femininity and masculinity in girls doll play

Central Morocco, 1996 High Atlas, 1996 Moroccan Sahara, 1997

exchanging information and feelings about wedding and man-woman relations

reconstruction of a wedding feast scene in girls games

Anti-Atlas, 2006

learning about rituals and feasts in playgroups

the belghenja rain ritual and the belghenja game

belghenja doll of the women and belghenja doll of the girls

Anti-Atlas, 2007

the young mens masquerade in southern Morocco

Tiznit, 2007

boys preparing to continue this cultural heritage

Tiznit, 2007

transmitting specific know-how between children

learning how to weave in a girls doll play

Anti-Atlas, 2007

learning to make and to ride the local skateboard

Sidi Ifni, 2002 Marrakech, 1993

in games verbal and musical expressions are mostly learned from older children in combination with non-verbal behavior

Tiznit, 2006

developing male identity through shared experiences

playing to be musicians, Sidi Ifni, 2005

developing female identity through shared experiences

playing the mistress of a modern household

Tiznit, 2006

interpreting and discussing adult roles

mother and children in household play

Central Morocco, 1997

fathers as farmers in a boys game

Anti-Atlas, 2002

playing teachers behavior in the classroom

Anti-Atlas, 2007

interpreting together changing attitudes in the community

the private home for children and adults at risk

Anti-Atlas, 2007

communicating about gender roles

peer groups of girls and peer groups of boys

Anti-Atlas, 2007

girls playgroup and boys playgroup in parallel play

Anti-Atlas, 2009

successful crossing of the gender border a girl infiltrating a boys playgroup

Sidi Ifni, 2006

failed gender border crossing two boys wanting to enter a girls household play

Sidi Ifni, 2007

playgroups based on family and neighborhood relationships facilitate the communication of information, beliefs and feelings between children

Anti-Atlas, 2007

the role of peers

Sidi Ifni, 2005

the role of older children

telling about the phosphate train

Sidi Ifni, 2007

directing the game of a wedding feast

Anti-Atlas, 2008

older sister explaining her experience in hospital to a younger sister

Moroccan Sahara, 2006

making a toy for a small brother

Anti-Atlas, 2006

communicating about recent social changes in play activities

exchanging viewpoints on Moroccans living in Europe and European tourists

gifts from emigrants and dolls dressed play about sunbathing tourists as emigrants daughters, Anti-Atlas, 2008 Anti-Atlas, 2006

playing, adapting and discussing TV messages in playgroups

the Palestine fighters rescue helicopter during the flood in

Sidi Ifni, 2005 Casablanca, Anti-Atlas, 2011

children play an active and important

role in communicating, transmitting

and adapting many aspects related

to the development of individuals,

cultures and societies

so one should not only

promote their rights

but also recognize

their contributions

Saharan and North African Toy and Play Cultures: Technical activities in play, games and toys

November 2013

360 p. 350 ill. see www.sanatoyplay.org or

www.scribd.com/jean_pierre_rossie/documents

Photography Khalija Jariaa made the photos of slides 2, 3, 5, 9, 14, 17, 19, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34 left. Jean-Pierre Rossie made the other photos