In the past, every year during Eid al-Adha, on the 13th of Dhul-Hijjah, during the traditional «JoJo» celebration, Hijazi residents of Mecca would receive Saudi pilgrims with songs and folk chants in honor of their completion of the Hajj rituals.
Over the years, the ways of receiving pilgrims after the Hajj have changed, and the JoJo celebration has practically disappeared.
Atareek Restaurant in Jeddah, located in the Al-Tayebat International City of Science and Knowledge, Al-Faisaliyah district, seeks to preserve the traditions of Saudi Arabia and Hijaz dedicated to the JoJo celebration.
Sharifa Al-Sudairi, the founder of Atareek, which has been operating for more than ten years, told Arab News: «Through Atareek, we are trying to revive everything related to Hijazi heritage, as well as to present many cultures of the Kingdom from different regions to help new generations discover and learn about the beautiful traditions of their ancestors.».
The name JoJo is inspired by an Arabic word with a Hijazi accent that translates as «They have arrived.» It is part of a well-known folk chant that friends and family of pilgrims sing during the celebration.
JoJo honored children who went on the Hajj for the first time with their parents, in order to motivate them and introduce other children to the Hajj rituals. Later, the celebration was arranged for both pilgrims and their children.
Al-Sudairi said that one of the highlights of the celebration is that the venue fills with children's laughter, JoJo singing, and candies.
«The pilgrims sit on the floor, and the children gather around them, holding over the pilgrims« heads the ends of sheets filled with old Hijazi candies such as »nogl.'".
«Then they begin to spin around, chanting and holding the sheet, and then finally scatter the candies everywhere and compete to see who can collect more nogl than the other.» — said Al-Sudairi.
Nogl candies consist of chickpeas, almonds, pistachios, walnuts, chewing gum, coins, and banknotes.
«Over ten years, we have discovered that the heritage of Hijaz is truly international; it unites various cultures connected to many countries,» she said.
«Whenever guests from Morocco, Spain, Egypt, Palestine, and other countries came to Atareek, they could discover many related elements of cultural heritage that remind them of their countries,» said Al-Sudairi.
Atareek is a museum, an art gallery, and a venue for celebrations dedicated to Hijazi folk culture. It is visited by schools and tourists from around the world, including several embassies and consulates, as it is considered a landmark accompanying the Abdul Rauf Khalil Museum.
It is characterized by the authentic heritage of Hijaz, including several paintings on Hijazi themes, such as crafts, trades, Saudi coffee, and Hajj caravans.
These paintings change throughout the year; they are donated by Saudi artists from the Abdul Rauf Khalil art studio. Many other antique items more than 50 years old were donated by prominent Hijazi families to help Atareek preserve and revive Hijazi heritage.
The hall also features large wooden benches called karweet and mirkaz, a type of furniture that is no longer used due to the availability of many other convenient options.
These benches are usually decorated with «arabesques,» a type of ancient Islamic art associated with Islamic architecture, with intricate geometric forms requiring skilled craftsmanship.
Atareek also seeks to shed light on the most popular Saudi dishes, inspired by all regions of the Kingdom, such as balila, mugalgal, mandi lamb, and Saudi white coffee, which are served during the JoJo celebration and in the first days of Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha.
Al-Sudairi said: «Our dishes are inspired by what our ancestors used, including copper cookware, to provide the most authentic experience possible.».
Ninety years ago, the buildings of the first Saudi state were illuminated by ancient copper lanterns called Atareek, which gave the venue its name.
«The word «Atareek» means «lanterns» with a Hijazi accent. I gave it this name because the old lanterns are literally used here for lighting, whereas in the past the presence of these lanterns at the door of any house was used to indicate that a happy event was taking place in that house,» — said Al-Sudairi.