Folktales of the Afghani Jews

Audrey Armstrong
Undergraduate Anthropology
California State University, Chico

Audrey Armstrong presents her findings from an interview with the son of an Afghani Jew. She explains how the common Afghani folk tales started as an oral tradition, slowly becoming a written tradition spreading through Israel. She explains the influence this transition has on the tales themselves, as well as the identity and memory of this culture. She shows how folktales were often used as a way to cope with tragedy and difficulty for the population. By explaining some of the history of Afghani Jews, cultural violence and habitus, and the folktales themselves, Armstrong shows us the importance of these folktales to the Afghani Jewish culture.

Recorded: October 29, 2018