Khazana School for Heritage celebrates the entertainment history of the Roda and Manial Districts of Cairo. - Heritage special

Al-Ahram Weekly

2 days ago

Last week, at the premises of the Oriental Hall on the AUC Tahrir Campus, the iconic metal bridge, the Manial Palace, the Nile metre, and all the stories scattered along the Nile banks were on display.
Khazana School for Heritage, in collaboration with the AUC Rare Books and Special Collections, held the closing ceremony of The Workshop: Joy and Content, Narratives and Entertainment Heritage of Roda Island and Manial District. Prominent cultural figures, including Professor Emad Abu Ghazi, a former Egyptian Minister of Culture, Professor Heba Safey Eldeen, a professor of Architecture and Urban Design, and several cultural activists, attended the event.
"We cooperated with Khazana to help people preserve their belongings, and to show the younger generation the importance of their collections," said Eman Morgan, Assistant Director for Special Projects in the Rare Books and Special Collections Library. "This is not clutter to be handed over to the robabicia man; this is heritage and the history of a nation that should be passed from one generation to the next."
Joy and content in Manial and Roda
The Hana w Sourour (Joy and Content) exhibition of Manial and Roda Island was a breath of fresh air. It offered a vivid and layered narrative that combined a mini-documentary about local residents with a creative art exhibition mapping the district's historic monuments and entertainment venues. The display featured old photographs, short biographies of iconic figures who once lived there, and an illustrated storybook inspired by the neighbourhood. A comprehensive map highlighted the significant landmarks of the two adjacent districts.
"Hana w Sourour is a documentation programme focused on the entertainment history of the city, because it reflects the popular mood of the people—how they meet, where they gather," explained Alia Nassar. "Like the historian traveller Ibn Batouta stated, we are a people who enjoy music, dance, gatherings, and joy. It also reflects the socio-political and economic changes that occurred over time."
She went on to describe how El Roda Island has largely maintained its character over the years. It has been known as the Island of the Nilometre, the Island of Fustat, simply the island, and in a 1920 map, as Manial el Roda. Once a promenade space adorned with gardens and flowers, the island was also a residential area where Egyptian rulers built their palaces. Today, it still houses historic sites such as the Nilometre, the palace of Mohamed Ali, and the Mamluk citadel of El Saleh Negm El Din Ayoub.
In the 1950s, Roda Island was promoted as a summer gateway for Cairenes. People strolled its banks, enjoyed boat rides near a floating mill, and relaxed amid the green meadows by the Nile.
As for El Manial, the neighbouring district, a Google interactive map of entertainment venues revealed a rich cultural scene, featuring cinemas, open-air cafés, and popular pedestrian routes, particularly along Al Gamaa Bridge during the 1950s.
The idea behind Khazana
Khazana was founded to teach people how to document their heritage and make it accessible, like a closet that is easy to open but also protects treasured belongings. The name Khazana refers to a built-in closet in traditional Islamic architecture. Established by architect and heritage researcher Alia Nassar, the school has worked extensively to encourage communities to see their past as a living, shareable archive.
Four programmes and 108 heritage events
In her speech, Nassar described the journey of Khazana over more than three years, during which it held 108 events, partnered with 35 organisations, and engaged 81 heritage experts. The school's work is structured around four key approaches: raising awareness, documentation, inspiration and re-use, and heritage documentation counselling.
These approaches are expressed through several programmes. The Hana w Sourour documentation programme focuses on the entertainment history of local communities. Alesta (Well Done) supports the reinterpretation of heritage through hands-on activities, such as handicrafts. Bawtaqa (Crucible) explores the cultural currents that flowed into Egypt—people who came for education, trade, pilgrimage, or to escape war—and how they shaped the collective heritage. Finally, the Personal Archives initiative encourages individuals to document and preserve their own family and communal histories.
"We take this opportunity to share with you the launch of our website," Nassar concluded.
Khazana as a model of cultural development
Professor Heba Safey Eldeen praised the programme as a model for what cultural development can look like in practice. "I am very happy and honoured to be among those celebrating the conclusion of this workshop today," she said. "I congratulate the team who made such an important and impactful contribution. To me, this is a manifestation of the concept of cultural development that I have worked on for the past 15 years through my involvement with the Egyptian Ministry of Culture."
Professor Emad Abu Ghazy's account on Manial and Roda
In his address, Professor Emad Abu Ghazi, historian, archivist and former Minister of Culture, highlighted the importance of documenting oral history. He reminded the audience that prominent historians, such as El Makrizi and Ali Mubarak, relied on oral testimonies alongside other primary sources in their documentation of Egypt's history.
Reflecting on his own experiences, he noted, "In my life, I have seen Manial in the late fifties, and being in Manial now feels like being in another district. What remains are the oral testimonies of people who lived through such changes—like Dr. Asmaa, when she talks about el gamea and the pasha squares. To me, the mosque is very modern—it was built in the mid-seventies—yet it became an icon for feast prayers that weren't held there before."
He shared his memories of the Faten Hamama cinema, originally called Cinema Miranda. "It was a winter and summer cinema, with a mobile ceiling that would be removed during the summer. There were four cinemas in Manial, and when we were children, we used to watch nine films a week."
Abu Ghazi also recalled the festive atmosphere of the Moulid Sidi El-Abariqi. "There used to be a big march. Organisers would knock on doors to collect small contributions from residents for the ceremony of the Big Night. The day began with a procession that started from Manial Street and ended at the mausoleum in Al Roda Square. The parade was led by circus performers, acrobats, magicians, and flag bearers. The people of Manial would watch from their balconies. I happened to see my grandmother's house in a photograph posted on a Facebook group—she was on the balcony watching. These are stories we would never remember unless we document the oral memory," he concluded.
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