Archaeology Now, the Houston affiliate of Archaeology Institute of America, presents the Senan Shaibani Marsh Arabs Project, kicking off with the Sept. 9 grand opening/ribbon cutting of a traditional Mudhif constructed on the campus of Rice University. This wide-ranging project, hosted by Rice University, is in conjunction with the Arab American Educational Foundation and Iraqi community groups, with support from the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Nothing symbolizes the Arab Marsh culture more fully than the Mudhif. This is the first Mudhif in Texas and only the second in the United States, with a much smaller one built in Philadelphia in 2021.

The public is invited to the grand opening of the Mudhif, where visitors can learn about this ancient culture, tour the structure, enjoy food and refreshments, and mingle with those who helped construct the Mudhif, preserving 5,000 years of history. The structure’s interior will be decked out with a beautiful carpet and traditional Middle Eastern furnishings, while indoor and outdoor lights will add to the ambience. Panels on frames around the Mudhif will tell the history behind this ancient tradition, while a “maquette,” or small replica model of a Persian shrine, will be on display.

Other activities include:

A DJ playing traditional Iraqi music

A “hoosa” line dance for children and families

Traditional foods to sample

Arts & crafts for children

A photo both featuring traditional clothing

The grand opening is the kick-off for a series of cultural events titled the Senan Shaibani Marsh Arabs Project scheduled during the fall, including music, food, films, poetry, family days and more, running through Dec. 5. Two more open houses for the Mudhif will also be held in October and November, which are free and open to the public and are family friendly.

Mudhif Grand Opening is Saturday, Sept. 9 from 10 am. - 1 p.m.

Additional Mudhif open house dates:

Saturday, Oct 14, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Sunday, Nov. 12, 11 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Rice University Campus, located next to the Moody Center for the Arts

Entrance #8, University and Stockton streets

Additional support comes from the Arab American Cultural & Community Center in Houston, the Arabic Immersion Magnet School, the Khudari Group, Aramco, Noble Construction, The City of Houston through the Office of Cultural Affairs and Office of International Tourism, Pennebaker LLC, Baker Botts, Quan Law Group, The Bilateral Chamber, and Humanities Texas.

This project is a cultural ecology and preservation project and demonstrates how pivotal the ecology of a region is to a culture, acting as a bridge to preservation of the built environment as a tool for preserving cultural identity. The American Gulf Coast is experiencing environmental degradation and destruction of a way of life. The lessons learned in Iraq can be valuable here as well. The culture of the people from the Iraqi Marshes is one of the most endangered cultures on earth. By creating the mudhif at Rice, we are helping to preserve cultural knowledge and transfer it to the next generation.

For Marsh Arabs, this 5,000-year-old structure, the reed house, is more than just a public hall where tribes welcome guests, settle community affairs, hold religious ceremonies and exchange information. They are constructed entirely of reeds from the marshlands between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers in Iraq, using ancient methods. The columns and components of the Mudhif in Houston were shipped from Iraq on the USS San Antonio to Port of Houston where they have been assembled into final form on the grounds of the campus of Rice University by a master builder and volunteers from the Iraqi community in Houston.

To learn more about Archaeology Now’s Marsh Arabs Project and the Mudhif, visit www.archaeologynow.org.