The Heritage House in the town of Anjara, located in the Ajloun Governorate, stands as a model for preserving Jordanian folklore. By documenting ancient tools of daily life and reviving traditional architectural styles, it contributes to strengthening cultural identity and attracting visitors and heritage enthusiasts.
اضافة اعلان
Samer Fureihat, Director of Ajloun Culture, stated that the governorate is rich with numerous heritage sites and initiatives that reflect the depth of history and civilization in the region. He noted that the Heritage House in Anjara represents a distinct experience in preserving popular heritage and presenting it to new generations in a realistic and direct manner.
He added that heritage houses play an important role in enhancing cultural awareness and deep-rooting the values of belonging and pride in the national identity. He pointed out the significance of supporting such initiatives, which help stimulate cultural and tourism activities across the governorate.
For his part, the owner of the Heritage House, Bilal Al-Smadi, mentioned that he established the house about three years ago, drawing inspiration for its details from the ancient architecture adopted by his ancestors. He blended modern construction with a traditional style based on stone arches, straw, and other conventional materials used in the past.
Al-Smadi added that he was keen on acquiring and preserving many heritage artifacts and tools inherited from his forefathers. These include oil preservation jars, pottery vessels, sickles, agricultural tools, and old teapots, noting that some of these items are more than a century old. He emphasized that his family members participate in maintaining them as they are a vital part of the region's history and collective memory.
He pointed out that the house continuously welcomes visitors from various regions of the Kingdom, offering them an experience that reflects the details of ancient life through rural overnight stays, traditional hospitality, and the exploration of heritage collectibles. He stressed that preserving these tools and folklore is a cultural and tourism investment that helps pass the memory of ancestors down to future generations and introduces them to the lifestyles that prevailed in the past.
In turn, poet Rasmi Al-Zaghoul, an expert in heritage affairs, stated that folklore represents a living record that documents the lifestyles, customs, and traditions lived by Jordanians over the decades. He emphasized that preserving these artifacts reinforces awareness of society's history and strengthens the connection of new generations to their cultural roots.
He added that heritage houses have become important cultural and tourist stops that attract visitors and those interested in popular heritage due to the opportunity they provide to view the details of old life and the authentic human and social values they carry.
On his part, Mohammed Al-Qudah, a member of the "Our Tourism is the Title of Our Wealth" initiative, said that the Heritage House in Anjara represents a qualitative addition to the tourism scene in Ajloun Governorate, given the experience it offers that combines heritage, culture, and authentic rural hospitality.
He added that such projects contribute to enriching the tourism product in the governorate and extending the visitor's stay, alongside their role in introducing local heritage and encouraging domestic tourism. He stressed the importance of supporting individual initiatives that preserve heritage and employ it in the service of sustainable tourism development.
-(Ali Fureihat-Petra)
