Overview
The former Museum of Popular Arts and Traditions was set up in 1969 in the oratory (Zaouia) of Sidi Zitouni in Houmet Souk, north of the island. This monument was built at the end of the 18th century by Hmida Ben Ayyed, then governor "Geyed" of the island, to commemorate the meritorious acts of Sheikh Abu Bakr Ezzitouni in matters of magistracy and especially for having consolidated the hold of the Maliki doctrine in the island. This museum included in its first collections valuable samples of the traditional material heritage of the island, distributed according to themes in the different areas of the monument: manuscripts in the library of the Zaouia, costumes in the room called El Fnaar, jewelry in the funeral room, unglazed pottery in the two courtyards of the Zaouia, traditional cooking utensils in the kitchen of the Zaouia, woodwork in the room called 'Dome of ghosts'. A room opening onto the courtyard to the north of the funerary room was added to house the glazed pottery; a partial reconstruction of a potter's workshop was installed in the cistern and following the opening of the museum a reconstruction of a weaving workshop was added. However, over time it became clear that the environmental conditions inside the Zaouia were not compatible with the display and conservation of organic collections.
The new Museum of Traditional Heritage of Djerba, inaugurated in December 2008, replaced the old Museum of Popular Arts and Tradition. The project consisted of two complementary operations:
- The restoration of the Zaouia as a monument with valuable architectural components and its reassignment as an interpretation center for the Traditional Heritage of the island of Djerba:
- The building of a new museum, in the vicinity of the old one, intended to provide for the key museum functions (reception, conservation and exhibition of collections....) and to present the traditional heritage of the island of Djerba with all its components (architecture, costumes, jewelry, agriculture, fishing, pottery, rites and ceremonies....). The themes of the exhibition were highlighted through museographic layouts and the simultaneous use of different expo- graphical techniques to make the visit both enjoyable and informative. The different spaces of this trail follow one another harmoniously and guide the visitor to a multitude of discoveries rich in images, sounds and various sensations. The exhibition is articulated around two main topics that make up the traditional life cycle in which the islander has lived since time immemorial:
- The first topic consists in retracing insularity in the field of production by presenting material witnesses linked to the main economic activities of the island.
- As for the second topic, it focuses on ceremonial rituals and associated beliefs.
This project reflects a fairly modern museographic vision by using expo-graphic techniques (large-scale photographic images, miniature or real size models, reconstructed scenes, lighting, colors and audiovisual media) offering the visitor a participative and interpretative experience. A visit to the museum allows the visitor to discover the island's traditional heritage in all its richness. Haut du formulaire
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