Algerian folklore

[Nerida]

Hi, I'm hoping someone on this forum can help me...

I'm an Australian author writing a book that is set in France. One of my characters is an Algerian woman who immigrated to Paris just before the riots/atrocity of 1961.

What I'm interested in is 'old' Algerian customs, folklore, superstitions, or, simply, old wives' tales (for want of a better description) to do with ridding a property of wandering spirits or ghosts (specifically spirits of the deceased). The character herself is not superstitious in this way, but I want to reference a grandmother of the character who was, who knew about and believed in such things. I've looked around on the internet for information, but can't find anything. I have written and published two books previously, and I have found that in most cultures it is the women who safeguard the stories, the anecdotes, the traditional tales and the family history, and who pass the information down to their daughters. So I hope this is an appropriate section for this question.

I am looking for old traditional superstitions, rather than Islamic belief. To make a comparison - for example, in Ireland, while most people are Catholic or Protestant Christian, they still have folklore involving leprachauns and fairies, that has stayed around from the Celtic/pagan days. And while barely anyone in Ireland would believe in this anymore, they still pop up in the nation's folklore.

So does anybody know of such folklore? Or where I could find information on it? I'd be very grateful for any assistance. Thanks so much.

Warm regards, Nerida.

[Bent_Bladi]

I'm sorry Nerida -- I don't know anything about Algerian folklore. But I do have some Algerian friends that might know. It's too late to call them now, but when the time is right, I'll call and ask them for you .... Actually, I'm interested to know myself

Good luck with writing your book

~BB

[Nerida]

Thanks BB. I have done a hunt around my usual resources (one of my previous novels involved Chinese folklore, for which there are plenty of resources, the Chinese had a long history of fairytales and superstition that had nothing to do with their religion at the time but which happily co-existed). But I've come to a bit of a dead-end with older Algerian folklore. I'm hoping someone might remember something their grandmother told them, even anecdotally (the book, afterall, is fiction)... or at least be able to point me in the right direction in terms of useful books that are available.

So anything at all your friends can tell you would be really helpful!

Thanks again.

[Al-khiyal]

salam wa mar7aba ya Nerida,

You might find some useful information here:

You can find details of the books here: Makilam

There is a number of works dealing with Kabylie folk tales in print, e.g. Contes berberes de kabylie by Mouloud Mammeri and Contes de la tradition orale kabyle by Helima Laâdj. You'll find details of a number of publications relating to the events of October 1961 here and reference to the work of the Algerian Centre national de recherches préhistoriques, anthropologiques et historiques (CNRPAH) here (including reference to a recent CNRPAH publication dealing with oral tradition, Récit et Histoire).

Good luck!

[Nerida]

Thank you so much for those resources - the books look like they might contain just what I'm after (it's such a small part in the overall narrative of the woman's journey, but I want to be as accurate as possible). The other links will prove very helpful as well, so once again - my gratitude!

[Al-khiyal]

3afwan, you are very welcome.

Let us know when your book is published and we can add details of it here.

ma3assalaama

[Nerida]

Thank you, I will let you know when it's finally out. It's very much in the development and research phase at present so I estimate it's about two years away from appearing on bookshelves (my previous two novels each took three years to research and write - there's a bit of historical fiction involved and I like to get things as accurate as I can)! But I'm sure I'll be dipping in and out of these forums as I've found in the past that some of the best stories are passed on by word-of-mouth. (I never use anyone's personal stories though - I usually just like to hear them so that I have a better understanding of people and cultures, and, hence, my characters.)