Scientific event

Since ancient times, humankind has recognized the importance of time and its role in life, finding itself subject to its power and necessity. Human societies used to measure time through cosmic data linked to changes in the universe and natural phenomena, even the biological changes they themselves experienced. Sleep signified night, the moon the month, and plowing, planting, and harvesting all marked the year. Time came to be measured through night and day, plant growth cycles, and the lunar and solar cycles. These cycles became linked to the calendar and the calculation of time. Gradually, this calendar evolved, serving agriculture and becoming intertwined with rituals and practices that reflected the customs, traditions, and norms of human society. The calendar also became associated with ceremonial aspects, often reflecting popular beliefs.


The calendar evolved from a popular tradition to a precise scientific one, but the latter could not completely eliminate the popular one. Many practices, rituals, and customs persist to this day, albeit with some modifications. They continue, at least in their festive form, alongside new practices classified as economic behaviors. These new practices reflect commercial activities based on the law of supply and demand, as seen in the January celebrations. These celebrations, in part, point to the agricultural year, and in another, they offer a glimpse into the social and popular imagination, even shaping its identity and thus contributing to the enrichment of intangible cultural heritage.

Popular calendars have constituted a field of knowledge that has been the subject of numerous studies and research, particularly the popular calendar in Algeria. A number of studies emerged during the colonial period, beginning with those conducted by Orientalists alongside colonial studies. We should mention the field study by the orientalist Joseph Desparmi, entitled "Traditional Ethnography in the Mitidja Plain - The Folk Calendar," in which he arrived at a number of conclusions, most notably the concept of taboo, which refers to the prohibition of certain practices at specific times, and failure to adhere to this prohibition is seen as causing harm to the practitioner. He also documented the popular beliefs practiced throughout the days of the week.

His essential conclusion is that Algerian society does not perceive the days as "essentialities," but rather as inherent, self-contained realities. This stems from the religious belief that God created the days before the earth; thus, the days belong to God and therefore possess a sacred character, imbued with a great deal of emotion. Jean Serveau conducted a study on the folk calendar of the peasants in the Kabylie region, spanning from 1949 to 1961, entitled "The Gates of the Year." Through this study, he concluded that the Algerian peasant divides the year into two periods: the winter solstice and the summer solstice. These two periods represent distinct phases imbued with folk beliefs, rituals, and symbolism. He also concluded that the Algerian peasant possesses a knowledge of time based on his observation of the plant cycle. Edmond Doutté, in his study "Magic and Religion in North Africa," reached almost identical conclusions to Serveau, finding that the calendar is linked to folk practices and beliefs. The arrival of a particular season signifies celebrations and rituals laden with these beliefs. Regarding the months, he states that the inhabitants of North Africa...
They continued to use names that carried cultural remnants of the Roman presence in the region, such as: January, Forar, March, April, May, June, August, September, October, November, and December.

As for contemporary research institutions, the Center for Research in Social and Cultural Anthropology organized scholarly works on January within the framework of study days and seminars. Among these was the study day entitled "Methods of Classifying and Valuing the January Festival," held on February 20, 2016, which included scholarly presentations on a variety of topics, including classification files and procedures, January as a festival and celebration expressing rituals, customs, traditions, and myths, and January as a problematic subject concerning historical interpretation. In addition to the center's regular internal discussion forum held on January 15, 2020, highlighting January as a threshold and entry point to the agricultural year in Algerian society, and as an influential factor in the other months of the agricultural year, constitutes the general objective framing this study day. Through this day, we also aim to focus on the popular calendar of the agricultural year through the realms of intangible folk heritage, including feasts and popular dishes, Malhoun poetry, traditional clothing, customs, traditions, rituals, practices, popular beliefs, and myths. The economic dimension of January as a popular celebration that opens a seasonal market linked to the beginning of the agricultural year, which everyone hopes will be bountiful, is also a focus of this study day. Furthermore, we aim to highlight manifestations of social solidarity and mutual support. Therefore, the central questions of this study day are:

What is the relationship between January and the popular agricultural calendar?

How is January manifested through the realms of intangible folk heritage?

What are the economic practices associated with January celebrations?