Story of Khirbet Al-Musafer

Story of Khirbet Al-Musafer is an initiative that highlights the Khirbat (ruins) of Masafer Yatta, located south of the city of Yatta. It encourages young people to explore their folk and cultural heritage and its connection to the land. The project also contributes to documenting intangible cultural heritage through tales, stories, and narratives linked to caves, water wells, and archaeological ruins in the Masafer Yatta area, building a Palestinian narrative based on collecting ancestral stories and sharing them through engaging audio and visual materials for children and youth.:

Masafer Yatta:

These khirbas (ruins) are distinguished by the richness and diversity of their cultural heritage and their connection to the land through the lifestyle and living in caves. Masafer Yatta consists of 33 archaeological khirbas. Its residents face the threat of forced displacement. The Israeli occupation authorities have affected the Masafer Yatta khirbas economically, politically, and socially, impacting the ability of the residents to maintain their traditional way of life and cultural heritage. Many caves and historic wells have been disrupted.

Place names have been Hebraized, distorted, or even destroyed, and landmarks altered, often by imposing narratives that contradict the original history of the area and the heritage of its original inhabitants. The popular cultural heritage in Masafer Yatta is at risk of disappearing because it is deeply tied to the relationship between people and the land they inhabit. Meanwhile, the occupation seeks to alienate us from our land, resulting in a reality where the new generation sees their khirbas as places stripped of history and meaning.

To learn more, click here