Rawashdeh: Jordanian villages are the true incubator for the story of the land and the people
Opening of the Old School Museum in Hammoud, Karak
Amman5 min read
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Minister of Culture and Minister of Tourism and Antiquities Mustafa Rawashdeh affirmed that Jordanian villages represent a true incubator for national memory, given the historical and cultural heritage they carry, and the customs, traditions, and authentic features they still preserve, which reflect the history of the place and the people throughout the ages.
This came during his patronage of the opening of the Old School Museum in the town of Hammoud, north of Karak Governorate, which belongs to the Hammoud Sons Association for the Revival of Cultural and Historical Heritage, and the launch of the cultural days events organized by the association in cooperation with the Karak Culture Directorate, as part of the events of Al-Qasr District, the Jordanian City of Culture for 2026, in the presence of a number of officials, popular figures, intellectuals, and those interested in heritage.
Rawashdeh said that Jordanian villages have always been a model of giving and openness to education and development, and have contributed to preparing generations that participated in the path of development, nation-building, and achieving its accomplishments, stressing the importance of preserving their cultural heritage and documenting their stories for future generations.
He added that the opening of the Old School Museum constitutes a cultural and documentary achievement that supports the Jordanian narrative project "The Story of the Land and the People," pointing out that the school was not just an educational institution, but a beacon of science and enlightenment, and a witness to the social and cultural transformations that the village has witnessed over decades.
He pointed out that the town of Hammoud is distinguished by its urban fabric, heritage houses, old commercial market, mill, and school, in addition to the specificity of its relationship with the place, confirming that Karak Governorate is rich in cultural and human diversity that has contributed to shaping the national identity and provided prominent models in education, culture, and defending and building the nation.
He indicated that the museum, with its manuscripts, photographs, and heritage tools, will form a cultural space to introduce the history of the town and Jordan, and highlight the customs, values, and lifestyles that the ancestors lived, and their relationship with the land and the place.
Rawashdeh announced the start of completing the second phase of developing the school museum during the coming year, with the aim of transforming it into an integrated museum of popular life, in addition to launching the Hammoud Cultural Festival, which will enhance the town's presence on the cultural and heritage tourism map.
For his part, the head of the Hammoud Sons Association, Fares Al-Halsa, said that the village possesses a historical and cultural story that deserves to be documented by the voices of its people, and a memory that requires protection and preservation, noting that the association, which was established 20 years ago, has worked to launch a cultural project aimed at documenting the village's history, preserving its heritage, and restoring its old buildings.
He explained that celebrating the school's centenary and restoring it formed the first step in this path, followed by the completion of the first phase of the school museum with the support of the Ministry of Culture, and the rehabilitation of the museum's front courtyard with the support of the Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities, leading to the organization of cultural days that the association hopes will develop into an annual festival that combines culture with heritage.
The events included a cultural seminar entitled "Memory of the Place.. Our Village Hammoud as a Model," moderated by Dr. Haider Al-Halsa, during which the writer and engineer Daigham Al-Qassous Al-Halsa spoke, reviewing in literary texts aspects of the village's heritage and its place in the collective memory.
Al-Qassous Al-Halsa affirmed that Hammoud represents a living witness to the authenticity of the place extending over thousands of years, and embodies the experience of an authentic Jordanian society that has preserved its cultural and heritage identity through generations, pointing out that the place forms an essential part of a person's identity, memory, and belonging.
In turn, the intellectual and politician Dargham Al-Halsa addressed the importance of place in human existence and the depth of the relationship between the land and the people, confirming that spatial memory forms a fundamental pillar for understanding the past and building the future.
Al-Halsa reviewed the history of the village's origin and the historical and civilizational components it is distinguished by, pointing out that a number of its heritage landmarks are still standing, including the school, the old commercial market, churches, the grain mill, and heritage buildings, which reflect the diversity of social and cultural life in it.
He pointed out that Hammoud was not just a population center, but formed a center for education and knowledge, and contributed to graduating Jordanian figures of statesmen, writers, doctors, and engineers who participated in building modern Jordan.
The events concluded with folklore artistic segments that brought to life the aesthetics of popular heritage, in addition to musical performances presented by the Greek Orthodox Scouts and Guides band in Karak, in an atmosphere that reflected pride in the national identity and Jordanian cultural heritage.
The opening of the museum comes within the efforts aimed at protecting heritage sites and repurposing them culturally, and enhancing the role of local institutions and associations in documenting national memory and connecting new generations to the history of their villages and their civilizational heritage.
