aFor Amal Tuffaha, a Jordanian woman who revived the heritage of “preserving food”:
I try to revive and preserve the heritage with modern touches
The idea is based on the heritage of our mothers and grandmothers
The “thermal bag” was made of materials that simulate heritage
The design is from the Jordanian heritage, but the idea dates back to African origins
Manufacturing one piece requires 5 continuous working hours

“Heritage” is all inherited by previous generations in different domains and fields, both tangible and intangible, and some seek to preserve, restore or reproduce it with modern touches that show the extent of development and the difference between the past and the present.

This is what the Jordanian “Amal Tuffaha” (40 years old) did when she chose to revive the “heat bag” in a modern style that simulates a traditional method used by the kingdom’s ladies in the past to preserve various foods.

Amal, who lives with her husband and children in the city of Al-Salt in the Al-Balqa Governorate in the center of the country, the circumstances of the Corona crisis prompted her to search for a job in which she finds herself and through which she becomes a productive woman in society, and in it she achieves an income that helps her with the costs of life.

** The focus of attention of many

The Anatolian correspondent visited the Jordanian woman in her father’s house, and was briefed on the reality of her project, which has become the focus of attention of many, especially with the importance of the product, whose content revived an idea that only those who lived with their mothers and grandmothers in the past know about.

Amal says that she is trying to revive and preserve the heritage with “modern touches,” noting that the idea “started at the time of the Corona pandemic and quarantine three years ago, and at that time I needed to create something out of nothing.”

And she continued, “The mother used to keep a sewing machine from the good old days, and she started having fun.”

Tuffaha added, “The idea was born at the moment, but its reference is the heritage of our mothers and grandmothers, who used to transport food from the house to the fields and orchards in Bagga to keep the food warm.”

And she added, “Our mothers used to wrap the food bowl in the past so that the rice would cook well, and at the same time maintain its temperature for the time the family gathered around the table.”

** Inspired by Heritage

Tuffaha explained, “The bagga is inspired by the scent of heritage, so it was made from materials that simulate heritage, such as Sadu cloth with its beautiful colors.”

She pointed out that she “found that the issue represents a gateway to livelihood, and the women began to ask me for it.”

Regarding the components of its manufacture, Amal stated that “the inner material is a heat-insulating cloth, and it is also stuffed with heat-insulating materials and other materials that maintain its shape.”

Tuffaha went on to say, “The outer fabric is Sadu cloth, which is a type of fabric that is used in the manufacture of Arab floor seats and traditional rugs.”

And she added: “These insulating materials give us, in the end, a thermal capacity that preserves heat by 90 percent, and the material inside maintains its temperature, whether cold or hot, for 6 hours, which is proven by actual and practical experience.”

** African roots

Tuffaha continued: “The design is from the Jordanian heritage, but the idea goes back to African origins, and this baggage helps complete the cooking process for some dishes, especially those in which rice is used, or what is known to Jordanian women as rice pepper.”

And she pointed out that “those who used it frequently saved them in gas consumption, according to what they confirmed after trying it.”

Tuffaha stated, “I am currently working on my own, and I am striving to develop the idea into a pioneering project.”

And she went on: “The manufacture of one piece requires 5 continuous working hours, and this depends on the required size, as they are of different sizes and are on demand, and some request embroidering the name on it, and this gives it a personal character, especially when it is a gift.”

Tuffaha pointed out that “the idea is basically the same as the principle of the zawadah, which was known to the rural Jordanian communities in the past, and is used for various purposes, including trips, in addition to the principle of safety by ensuring that mothers do not use fuel and electric means of heating for their children.”

As for their prices, she confirmed that they are “affordable to all, and the aim is to revive the idea and help Jordanian women, especially female employees, and their prices range between 10 (US$14) and 20 dinars (US$28), and increase with the required size.”

Tuffaha considered that what distinguishes the “bagga” is that it is “light in weight, beautiful and attractive in shape, and can be washed and cleaned, which prolongs its life, and the flavor of the food in it is better; Because the meals in which they are preserved are less susceptible to the heat of the gas, and the spices and flavor remain inside the meal, so they do not volatilize, as happens in traditional cooking.

The origins and invention of the baggage go back to African countries. As environmental specialists tried to find an alternative solution to depleting forests and cutting wood for use in cooking food, it was the perfect solution, to save energy, natural resources, money and effort as well.

Anatolia