B241058 Learning Journal entry2 by Chang Liu

Jirata, T. J. (2012). LEARNING THROUGH PLAY: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF CHILDREN’S RIDDLING IN ETHIOPIA. Africa, 82(2), 272–286. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0001972012000058

fluency20010729 — 2024-04-14 20:58:03 UTC

The author, Tadesse Jaleta Jirata, a researcher at Dilla University in Ethiopia, delves into an ethnographic study of children's riddle games in the Guji area of Ethiopia. This article primarily focuses on how children's riddle games facilitate education and social interaction. The article notes that in the Guji community, children typically engage in these games among peers without adult intervention, conducting social interactions and learning independently through riddles, reflecting a child-centered cultural practice (p. 273). This stands in stark contrast to my own childhood experiences: although my parents also engaged me in riddle games, the presence of numerous rules, such as strict time constraints, created significant pressure, substantially diminishing my enthusiasm for the games. In contrast, Guji children's riddle games emphasize enjoying the process and interacting with peers.

Moreover, Goldman (2020) highlights that gaming and role-playing involve how children construct, experience, and implement their models of the world. Therefore, playing in a free and informal environment not only fosters children's social interactions but also deepens their understanding of cultural and social norms. This article demonstrates that allowing children to explore freely within games can significantly enhance their learning and socialization processes. This provides me with a valuable perspective on the relationship between gaming and learning, underscoring the importance of a free exploratory play environment for children's education.

Bowen, Z. (2015). Play on the mother-ground: children’s games in rural Odisha. South Asian History and Culture, 6(3), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/19472498.2015.1030871

fluency20010729 — 2024-04-14 21:05:11 UTC

Bowen, a researcher at the Australian National University, utilizes ethnographic methods to study the play activities of children in the rural areas of Odisha, India. Through her observations and analyses, Bowen has identified that play acts as a bridge connecting children with their environments, especially within traditional agricultural societies. Before my studies in anthropology, I primarily viewed play as influencing individual development in children without considering its role in the perpetuation of cultural heritage. However, Bowen (2015) clearly states that play helps children create a sense of place and cultural identity. In her seminal work, Bowen discusses the concept of the ‘magic circle,’ which fully utilizes land resources to reveal local understandings of rituals, beliefs, and societal structures. This concept led me to reflect on similar activities among children in the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region of China, who use surrounding trees, stones, and streams to create games such as ‘simulated fishing and hunting.’ The Zhuang community emphasizes harmonious coexistence with nature, and through play, children become aware of societal respect for and dependence on the environment. This understanding aligns with the essence of the ‘magic circle,’ emphasizing that games in the environment help children comprehend social culture. This also positions play as a cultural form and mode of cultural experience (Malaby, 2009), having different values and meanings across cultures. This article prompted me to think more deeply about the meaning of playing.

Demarrais, K. B., Nelson, P. A., & Baker, J. H. (1992). Meaning in Mud: Yup’ik Eskimo Girls at Play. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 23(2), 120–144. https://doi.org/10.1525/aeq.1992.23.2.05x1262n

fluency20010729 — 2024-04-14 21:09:27 UTC

This article explores the phenomenon of Yup'ik Eskimo village girls narrating stories through a traditional game called "storyknifing." In this game, participants etch patterns and symbols into the mud, showcasing unique female cultural practices within the Yup'ik community and facilitating the girls' understanding and expression of their cultural identities and community values. The article mentions that "storyknifing" serves as a cultural bridge, effectively transmitting elders' self-concepts and community expectations to the next generation, helping young girls to develop values and behavioral patterns that align with their community (Demarrais et al., 1992, p.141). This realization led me to understand that games are a means of intergenerational transmission. Elders can subtly teach children about community history, familial relations, social roles, and gender expectations through games (Pellegrini et al., 2007). This educational model reminds me of my childhood, when female elders would buy dolls and guide me in role-playing games, where I was often assigned the role of the mother. Through these games, they imparted the responsibilities and familial duties of a mother, thus helping me learn specific gender roles. Although this method of intergenerational transmission helps perpetuate traditional views, it may also conflict with modern ideologies influenced by external cultures. As I grew older, I believed that if elders introduced more diverse roles in role-playing, it would help me develop a more open and inclusive worldview. This article has made me realize that games are not only a tool for transmitting culture and values but also a venue for the intermingling of old and new knowledge.

Eickelkamp, U. (2014). Dingo, Monster, Rabbit, “I”: Personal and Cultural Meanings in Sand Stories by a Young Girl, Central Australia. American Imago: Psychoanalysis and The Human, 71(2), 99–129. https://doi.org/10.1353/aim.2014.0010

fluency20010729 — 2024-04-14 21:09:53 UTC

This article explores the ethnographic study of how a young Anangu girl named Lila engages in storytelling through sand in Central Australia. In Anangu culture, this game is known as milpatjunanyi, characterized by intermittent gestures and iconic shapes drawn in the sand to narrate stories. Through an in-depth analysis of several specific game stories from Lila, the author reveals how children's games become a crucial medium for personal expression. The article points out that storytelling through sand, which visually represents narratives (Eickelkamp, 2014, p.101), not only reflects how children connect their inner world with the external social world (Eickelkamp, 2014, p.102) but also symbolizes their deep understanding and cognition of their surroundings. This multimodal narrative tradition cleverly combines loose visual graphics with rich verbal expression, demonstrating how children learn and express themselves through play (Eickelkamp, 2008). This reminds me of a game called ‘Storyboard’ that I participated in during my childhood, where I narrated a wonderful holiday with my family through painting. In this process, I not only relived the joyful moments with my family but also deepened my memories and emotional experiences of that time. This experience further enhanced my understanding of the significance of games in developing children's cognitive and expressive abilities.

Watson‐Gegeo, K. A. (2001). Fantasy and Reality: The Dialectic of Work and Play in Kwara’ae Children’s Lives. Ethos, 29(2), 138–158. https://doi.org/10.1525/eth.2001.29.2.138

fluency20010729 — 2024-04-14 21:10:24 UTC

This article, through in-depth field research, explores the dialectical relationship between work and play in the lives of children in the Kwara'ae region, demonstrating how children simulate adult perspectives and behaviors through play. In Kwara'ae, children's play incorporates elements of labor, such as farming and household chores, making these activities an indispensable part of their socialization process. This article delves into the concept of "fantasy and reality," revealing that even though adults may advocate for pragmatism and realism, children can still enhance their cognitive abilities through labor-oriented play, exploring and simulating interactions and responsibilities within adult society. In my childhood, my family organized a home cleaning competition game, where I had to decide like an adult how to allocate cleaning areas and choose the appropriate cleaning tools. This game, closely integrated with real-life, deepened my understanding of the abstract concept of family responsibility. After reading this article, I became more aware of the close links between play, learning, and work, as pointed out by Malaby (2019), that play is a productive activity and should not be seen merely as a diversion in non-working states.

References

fluency20010729 — 2024-04-14 21:15:46 UTC

Bowen, Z. (2015). Play on the mother-ground: children’s games in rural Odisha. South Asian History and Culture, 6(3), 1–18. https://doi.org/10.1080/19472498.2015.1030871

Demarrais, K. B., Nelson, P. A., & Baker, J. H. (1992). Meaning in Mud: Yup’ik Eskimo Girls at Play. Anthropology & Education Quarterly, 23(2), 120–144. https://doi.org/10.1525/aeq.1992.23.2.05x1262n

Eickelkamp, U. (2008). (Re) presenting experience: A comparison of Australian Aboriginal children's sand play in two settings. International Journal of Applied Psychoanalytic Studies, 5(1), 23-50.

Eickelkamp, U. (2014). Dingo, Monster, Rabbit, “I”: Personal and Cultural Meanings in Sand Stories by a Young Girl, Central Australia. American Imago: Psychoanalysis and The Human, 71(2), 99–129. https://doi.org/10.1353/aim.2014.0010

Goldman, L. R. (2020). Child's play: Myth, mimesis and make-believe. Routledge.

Jirata, T. J. (2012). LEARNING THROUGH PLAY: AN ETHNOGRAPHIC STUDY OF CHILDREN’S RIDDLING IN ETHIOPIA. Africa, 82(2), 272–286. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0001972012000058

Malaby, T. M. (2009). Anthropology and play: The contours of playful experience. New Literary History, 40(1), 205-218.

Pellegrini, A. D., Dupuis, D., & Smith, P. K. (2007). Play in evolution and development. Developmental review, 27(2), 261-276.

Watson‐Gegeo, K. A. (2001). Fantasy and Reality: The Dialectic of Work and Play in Kwara’ae Children’s Lives. Ethos, 29(2), 138–158. https://doi.org/10.1525/eth.2001.29.2.138