BOUKALA: The Game of the Algerian Women

Abstract

This article describes the many and varied popular Algerian games that have not been documented and studied yet, and are still a project for researchers specialized in materials of popular culture that are closely related to cultural and social realities.

If the popular games depend mostly on physical activity, some of them depend on mental activity within the forms of and artistic thinking expression. Its presence in society continues according to its adaptation to the change of new situations and the continuation of its old constant functions, or assigning innovative functions for it. It is based on the strength of understanding and the culture of the person practicing the game. Whether it is a game for men or a game for women, or a game shared between them.

These games of a popular nature remained on the sidelines, where most conditions were buried, so they were overlooked and neglected for many years. Among them are group games for women, such as Boukala game, which is played by women in the city of Algeria, and not others.

Boukala is a pure feminist game practiced within a Ramadan assembly. Its words are anonymous, some are prose words, others are poetic popular (informal) that carry beliefs related to the optimisme and full of pleasure and hope in order to obtain happiness. And believing always in the beautiful hope on what will be in the future.