Khirbat Al-Masafer
Story Khirbat Al-Masafer Yatta is an initiative that highlights the Khirbat Al-Masafer Yatta, located south of the city of Yatta. It encourages youth to explore their cultural and folkloric heritage and its connection to the land, while contributing to the documentation of intangible cultural heritage—including tales, stories, and narratives related to caves, water wells, and archaeological ruins in the Masafer Yatta area. The initiative aims to build a Palestinian narrative based on collecting inherited stories from ancestors and sharing them through engaging audio-visual materials for children and youth.
Masafer Yatta
These ruins are distinguished by the richness and diversity of their cultural heritage and their connection to the land through traditional lifestyles, including living in caves. Masafer Yatta consists of 33 archaeological ruins. Its residents face the threat of forced displacement.
The Israeli occupation authorities have impacted the Masafer Yatta communities economically, politically, and socially, affecting the residents’ ability to practice their traditional way of life and maintain their cultural heritage. Many caves and archaeological wells have been disrupted, while place names have been altered or distorted, some sites destroyed, and local landmarks changed to fit narratives imposed by the occupation that contradict the original history and heritage of the area.
The folk cultural heritage of Masafer Yatta is at risk of extinction and loss, as it is deeply tied to the residents’ relationship with their land. Meanwhile, the occupation attempts to alienate the population from their land, creating a reality where the new generation may see these ruins as places stripped of history and meaning.
Project Activities
The Story Khirbat Al-Masafer project focuses primarily on capacity building for 30 youth from Masafer Yatta. Participants are trained in:
- Oral history techniques and documentation methods.
- Conducting and transcribing interviews.
- Digital production skills, including video, audio materials, and art.
- Interviews about stories and narratives related to caves, wells, and archaeological ruins in the area.
- Surveying all caves and archaeological sites in Masafer.
- Producing short films, audio materials, and storybooks that combine education and entertainment for children and youth, and organizing exhibitions in Palestinian cities and villages.
- Organizing visits for local school and university delegations to Masafer.
Expected Outcomes
Having a team of 30 skilled youth in collecting, documenting, and preserving cultural heritage will create opportunities for work in the field of heritage documentation
The project outcomes will allow the organizers to attract a larger number of Palestinian children and youth to continue visiting the area and learning about its heritage. The creation of the “Story Cave Museum” will include audio-visual materials to encourage visits, while networking with local and international institutions will help secure additional funding to sustain the project
Funders
The project is funded by the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, supervised by the Al-Ta’awon Foundation, and implemented by the Al-Shumou’ Cultural Center, in partnership with Ahla Palestine Initiative and the Coordinating Committee for Popular Resistance
Partners
Ahla Palestine: A Palestinian initiative founded by two young Palestinian women (Bisan and Malak), aiming to explore archaeological sites and cultural heritage of Palestinian villages by organizing visits for local delegations. The group also promotes these villages and encourages people to visit them
Coordinating Committee for Popular Resistance: A Palestinian grassroots organization working to strengthen the resilience of Palestinians in marginalized rural areas and prevent forced displacement by the occupation. It serves as an umbrella for many youth groups and popular resistance activists in rural Palestinian areas
This project is funded by the Arab Fund for Economic and Social Development, supervised by the Al-Ta’awon Foundation, and implemented by the Al-Shumou’ Cultural Center
