Named after the Jordan River, Jordan was home to several ancient kingdoms. The culture of Jordan has Arabic and Western influences. Settled by nomadic tribes during the Bronze Age, the country has been influenced by ancient Romans, Ottoman, and Bedouin values.
Head of the Family
Jordanian culture has patriarchal family traditions based on ancestry and affluence. Families are often led by sheikhs whose political power depends on the size of their families, wealth, and strength of character. The eldest son of the sheikh is selected to assume leadership upon the death of the previous head of the family.
Hospitable Welcome
A key aspect of Jordanian culture is the hospitality shown by host to their guests. Most houses in the country have a designated guest and sitting areas called ‘Farsha’.
The host often serves generous portions of food and takes extra effort to ensure that the guest is comfortable. Known as ‘Karam’, it is a tradition that has roots in the Jordanian Bedouin culture.
Close Friendship
In Jordan, people tend to be very direct when it comes to communicating, regardless of the topic. They are often very interested in foreign visitors and want to know more about them in detail including political background, religious beliefs, salary, and marriage prospects.
Jordanians tend to walk together in groups. It is common to see good friends of the same sex holding hands or interlocking arms while walking as a way to express friendship.
Being Respectful
Sitting cross-legged in front of elders is considered respectful, while showing the soles of your feet or using your foot to move anything is considered ill-mannered. Wearing shorts in public, using the left hand to eat, or to greet others, making obscene gestures, or being intoxicated in public is greatly frowned upon by Jordanians.
People’s Identity
According to the CIA World Factbook, Jordan’s ethnic groups comprise of 98% Arab, 1% Circassian, and 1% Armenian.
Religious faiths in Jordan comprise of 97.2% Sunni Muslims, 2.2% Christians, 0.4% Buddhists, 0.1% Hindus, less than 0.1% Jewish and other religions.
This article is part of a series highlighting the unique cultures featured in the recently concluded Limkokwing International Cultural Festival 2017.