Figure 1.-- This magic lattern from about 1910 shows two boys with the caption 'water boys at Tozeur. This was a desert oasis in southwestern Tunisia around which a city hss developed. They wear traditional Arab garments.

Tunisia until the French occuoation (1830s) did not have modern econoomies. There werre no schools beyond mosque madrasas. The only activity for most boys was from a very early age was work of some kind. Boys from poor families would begin work at a very early age as shepards, warter boys, and other activities. Religion was the primary other ctivity for children. The country for century had an economy built around piracy and the exploitation of the slaves taken by piracy. Ending piracy was one of the factors invoved in the French conquest. The French introduced the country's first secular schools. There is today some unteret in sports, especially football, but like most Muslim majority countries, sport is nowhere as popular as in most non-Muslim countries.

Work

Tunisia until the French occuoation (1830s) did not have modern econoomies. The only activity for most boys was from a very early age was work of some kind. Boys from poor families would begin work at a very early age as shepards, warter boys, and other activities.

Religion

Slavery

Religion was the primary other activity for children. There was both an frican and European slave trade. Tunisia and algeria had similar involvement in the african slave trade. They were located in similar geographic position linked the main Trans-Saharan routes. Tunisia received caravans from Fezzan and Ghadamès, which in the 18th cebtury were almost entirely involved with transporting gold powder and slaves. They were sold into the Levant (Ottoman Empire). The country for century had an economy built around piracy. The Barbary Pirates operated from Tunisia and other North African ports. The Barbary Pirates exploited of the European and American slaves taken by piracy. Ransoming the slaves was an important part of national income. Ending piracy was one of the factors invoved in the French conquest.

Schools

We have only limited information on Tunisian schools at this time. We do not know to what extent Tunisian children attebded the French schools. Not do we know how common the medrasas attached ti the mosques were, Tunisia has a fascinating history. We haveno information on schools until the French colonial era. HBC at this time only has information on the French colonia era. We have collected a few photographs from individual schools. Tunisian families seem reluctant to send girls to the French schools. We have not yet found any information on the independence era.

Sports

There is today some unteret in sports, especially football, but like most Muslim majority countries, sport is nowhere as popular as in most non-Muslim countries.

Toys

We know very little about Tunisian toys or Arab toys in general. Today Tunisian manufacturers are selling toys to Europe and Tunisian toy boxes are popular there. But all of this as far as we can tell has nothing to do with toys that were traditionally popular in Tunisia. It seems to be types of toys that are popular in Europe, but now manufactured in Tunisia with low-cost labor. Some do have Tunisian themes such as stuffed animals like camels. Which is interesting given the trouble the teddy expereienced in close by Sudan. The whole topic of toys in Muslim countries is an interestung one. We wonder if the development of toys in the Arab world was impeded by the Islamic prohibition against depicting humans and animals. Such toys are popular today, but mostly developed in Chriusian Europe. The only information we have on Tunisia toys at this time is a magic lattern slide from the 910s. But they look to us more like French-influenced toys.

Created: 7:26 AM 8/22/2017
Last updated: 2:06 PM 4/21/2018