Egyptian Society for Folk Traditions

Dr.. Asaad Nadim: Documenting traditions saves popular memory

Journal Gazette - Date 18/04/2010 - Departement Cultures - page - by Asmahan Abu Esaad of

Works of Dr. Asaad Nadim, a professor of folklore and traditions popular and expert restoration of monuments, on the completion of the first stages in the project {documentation and development of traditions popular} any folklore has played since he was attending a doctorate in the United States, in an attempt to save the popular memory from oblivion and extinction.
About the project and its objectives was the following dialogue with him.
How the idea emerged {project documentation and the development of popular traditions} you are working on currently?
In the seventies of the last century, and during the preparation doctorate at Indiana University in America, I worked in the archives of folklore. So I have an idea has grown popular traditions archive, then presented the project on the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Council of the Arab League, headed by Abdul Latif Hamad, agreed on the funding and gave me a grant to implement it.
What are the reasons the project is approved for funding?
Fund accounted for in the draft document and repair the house Suhaimi aesthetic in Cairo funded.
What other actors to contribute to it?
Egyptian Society for Folk Arts headed by Dr.. Ahmed Morsi is run by the project and train its employees, and the Ministry of Culture has allocated part of house Kherazzati to be based head of us.
Is there a time plan to him?
The project takes about seven years during which you are archiving popular traditions in all governorates of Egypt, by sending field researchers have undergone training courses to collect article Alvolkoria of people in different regions who keep in their memories and in their hearts the People's traditions and heritage.
What is the purpose of it?
Preserve the value of popular traditions and collect as much of them, so we will turn the project into an institution is not based on an individual or two if disappeared or ended up funding the project ends and disappear.
What most its?
Sections Literature oral (Hawadit, Proverbs, Sir, fairy tales), material culture (arts, character, architecture, fashion, food), folk music, customs and traditions, popular beliefs, popular games, oral history, which Nstekaya from the mouths of people, regardless of the incident or documentation, folk knowledge which people information about a particular topic.
How do you assess article Tgmonha from people?
The Headquarters in Beit Kherazzati, we have 15 professors each of them specializes in a branch of folklore, these are reviewing articles and classified the group and they give degrees of privilege to weak according to their quality, and meet with field researchers to exchange opinions and experiences and to give them guidance.
What aspects of the advantage of popular traditions?
Life is a popular modern and legacy, the boundary between the modern and traditional in Europe is the industrial revolution, and in the Gulf Oil In Egypt, the start of the movement of the update at the hands of Muhammad Ali, which means that everything that was prevalent in Egypt until the end of the eighteenth century is a traditional society, and we are trying to study the rest of it on the tongues of people and documented.
There are things in our beliefs and طقوسنا pervasive in our depth since ancient history and express our identity, so would be interested to keep it from being lost and forgotten.
Besides information, you project includes other elements?
The Of course, we are working to collect an archive of audio recordings and photographer and photographs will be at the service of researchers in all fields, because it is easier to get information.
What do you mean words {traditions development}?
The Put these traditions within the framework fit for people and life in the twenty-first century. For example, the art of arabesque-style Islamic, you may make a chair newly wheels moving and casings skin and Azin aspects fees inlaid arabesque, also applies to other pieces along the lines of the office or the door, this way I mix between ancient and modern and raised people's tastes aesthetic and made it fit for everyday use, What applies to the arabesque applies to the other character and taking into extinction industries such as weaving, handmade carpets and others.
But it may increase the prices of these products will not be able people, mostly buy.
Enjoy the many artistic and aesthetic taste and the ability to purchase such manufactures high artistic value, instead of buying an American-style furniture and other models that pervades our lives.
What is the character that helped Archive development?
Of Teletext {art - Administrating}, any situation silver decorations on the openwork cloth. This craft spread in Upper Egypt, and we were able to convince the girls to dress industry from Teletext {} instead Trahp and convince the company {Mary Lowe} to adopt the project and open the doors before this export industry. And actually working today, more than 500 girls in the village {Island Shandaweel} in Tally industry.
What are the main obstacles facing project?
The Funding, we need additional funding to complete the remaining years of the project plan.
Why not submit a request to UNESCO {} to help funding?
The UNESCO does not take {} it upon themselves to such projects, because foreigners will not Amulua the project to collect popular Mothoratna.
What about the most prominent versions project?
The Project issued books about biography Hilaliya and fairs in Egypt.
http://aljareeda.com/aljarida/article.aspx?id=155762