المملكة: Aromatic herbs…adornment of the head and fragrance of heritage in Jazan

Usually Aromatic herbs on the head are among the most prominent Heritage customs that are rooted in the Jazan region in the south of the Kingdom, and this custom embodies the depth of the connection between man and his environment, and expresses an authentic aesthetic taste that has been passed down through generations over time.

Since ancient times, the people of the region, especially women and girls, have used to decorate their heads with aromatic herbs with fragrant scents such as: (pepper, cadi, basil, thyme, and wormwood), which are picked from the environment of the region, which is rich in its natural diversity, to become a symbol For beauty, purity, and authenticity.

Features of the Jazan identity

Herbs are an aesthetic adornment that expresses the spirit of the place and the features of the Jazan identity. Women in Jazan are keen to choose and coordinate herbs with artistic care that shows the inherited aesthetic sense. They are used in social occasions, weddings, holidays, and family gatherings, until their scent has become the distinctive feature of those occasions and their festive rituals.

Placing aromatic herbs on the head is seen as a symbol of joy and purity, in addition to the health and therapeutic benefits that some of these herbs carry, such as calming the nerves and stimulating the senses, which has made them part of daily life and traditional practices among women and men in mountain villages alike.

Cultural Heritage

Despite manifestations of development and social change, this custom still maintains its presence in the conscience of the people, who are keen to pass it on to new generations as a cultural heritage that reflects Belonging and identity.

The heritage events and festivals held in the region, most notably the pepper and kadi festival, contributed to reviving this heritage and introducing visitors to it, so that it became a prominent element in the cultural and tourism landscape of Jazan.

When the scent of pepper and basil wafts throughout the Jazan villages, the visitor senses the fragrant scent of history and the warmth of the earth, where the smell of herbs mixes with authentic customs, in a scene that tells the story of man’s relationship with his land. It reflects the continuation of the Jazani heritage in spreading its fragrance in the skies of the nation, bearing witness to the beauty of the past, the splendor of the present, and the fragrant scent of Authentic Saudi identity.

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