The Annual Jara Market: A Cultural Extravaganza in Amman’s Historic Jabal Amman Neighborhood

2023-07-19 12:07:43

Dubai, United Arab Emirates (CNN) — For the seventeenth year in a row, the traditional “Jara” market in the Jordanian capital, Amman, begins to receive its fans and visitors from inside and outside the country during the period from June 2 to September 8 of this year. The year, preserving the organizing initiative adopted by the residents of the old Jabal Amman neighborhood since 2004, due to the neighborhood’s close relationship with the historical, cultural, and economic establishment of the Omani society.

The “Jara” market, which is located in one of the alleys of old Jabal Amman as its annual location, is frequented by thousands of visitors every Friday as a fixed weekly date throughout the three summer months. The market combines hundreds of handicraft products, handicrafts, and traditional heritage artwork.

Heritage artwork

The craftswoman, Lina Al-Anabtawi, said that she has presented her exhibits in the market since its inception with the development of these products annually, by designing miniature wooden door models from Jordan and the Palestinian Territories following photographing them, to be part of a heritage work in contemporary homes as key pendants or wall decorations.

In her interview with CNN in Arabic, Al-Anabtawi indicated that the market has witnessed great development since its inception until now, in terms of the level of participation and the tourism reputation of the market and its prosperity.

The market stalls are distributed on both sides in an attractive manner, as the organization of the market is announced in advance and the door is opened for receiving and selecting applications, through the Association of Residents of the Old Jabal Amman neighborhood, which was founded by the former Jordanian Minister Zaid Al-Qusous, son of one of the oldest families that lived in Jabal Amman, and worked in trade.

historical and political connotations

The area of ​​Jabal Amman has historical, political and economic connotations, as it includes prominent landmarks such as the old National Assembly building, and a number of old heritage houses for a number of families that founded the economic movement in Amman, many of which have been restored.

The vice president of the association that oversees the organization of the market in partnership with the Greater Amman Municipality and companies from the private sector, Khader Kawas, told CNN in Arabic that the number of visitors of different nationalities ranges between 10 and 14 thousand visitors every Friday for more than one season.

Qawas added that this initiative is renewed every year, to preserve the identity of the old neighborhood, whose foundation dates back to the 1930s.

As for Ashraf Quraish, the owner of an antique project in the market, he said that he specializes in displaying and selling antique pieces, including old music records, daggers, rings, and old coins, pointing out that he was keen to reserve a corner for him in the market since its establishment 17 years ago.

The market annually includes various works such as ceramics, embroideries, traditional ornaments, and artistic paintings, in addition to introducing new works without straying from the heritage or artistic character, such as adding corners for young cartoonists.

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