Misc

Sara and Dara vs. Barbie and Ken

Iran introduced its national dolls to the market in the first week of last March to preserve and promote traditional values with their modest clothing and pro-family stories. The twin dolls which are called Sara and Dara are in fact, Iran's version of the American Barbie and Ken which have already flooded the Iranian market.

The Sara and Dara dolls, a girl and a boy, were developed and are being marketed by the Institute for the Intellectual Development of Children and Young Adults -- a government agency affiliated with the Ministry of Education.

Although the new dolls are widely seen as an effort to counter the American dolls and accessories among the Iranian children, but the institute's director Mohsen Chiniforoushan said that was not the main goal.

"The dolls are most welcome. Sara and Dara are strategic products to preserve our national identity. And of course, it is an answer to Barbie and Ken, which have dominated Iran's toy market," toy seller Mehdi Hedayat said.

Another toy seller, Masoumeh Rahimi, said Barbie was "foreign to Iran's culture" because some of the popular Western dolls wear revealing clothing. She said young girls who play with Barbie, a doll she sees as wanton, could grow into women who reject Iranian values. "I think every Barbie doll is more harmful than an American missile," She added.

Sara and Dara were born as characters in elementary school books. Their story continues in tales in verse recorded on cassettes that hit stores along with the dolls on the same day. In their adventures, the sister and brother help each other solve problems and turn to their loving parents for guidance.

Chiniforoushan said the launch of the foot-tall dolls had been delayed five years after the quality of the first, Iranian-made samples did not satisfy his institute. Currently produced in China, Iran plans to import the modern technology to produce quality dolls.

He said 100,000 dolls were introduced to the market, on the verge of Iran's new year (Norooz). Sara and Dara each sell for $15. Genuine Barbies sell for $40, and Iranian-made copies sell for $3 in the country.