Relations Between Intangible Heritage and Place: Insights from the Celebration of Zakariyya, in Iraq

Iraq, historically known as Mesopotamia, is a country of rich tangible and intangible heritage. Due to the challenging circumstances it faced in the past decades, many tangible heritage sites have experienced deterioration and negligence, whereas intangible heritage is alive and vital through people's beliefs, thoughts, rituals, and practices. This research is based on the premise that the Iraqi intangible heritage can play an effective role in activating tangible heritage in certain places in Iraq, due to the living relations between values of intangible heritage carried by people and places that express these values. Therefore, this paper discusses the relationship between heritage and place as a crucial factor that identifies intangible heritage and determines its features. The paper seeks to explore the deep meanings of intangible heritage and its importance in heritage, life, and place, so that it reaches three main indicators that can explain the relation between intangible heritage and place. These are: values, people-place relations, and identity. To verify the hypothesis, the research chooses a case study of intangible heritage in Baghdad. The research explores the local Iraqi event called the Celebration of Zakariyya, which includes inherited social rituals and practices. The cultural expressions of this event flourishes in a natural and cultural heritage location named the Khidr Elias district on the bank of the Tigris River. The research employs qualitative methods to gather data. It uses field observations, a document survey, and storytelling by individuals. Analysis of data follows an inductive approach and engages a descriptive analysis methodology. The study concludes that the celebration of Zakariyya has created a continuous intangible heritage related to the place, which confirms the culture and identity of the community. It increases the potentials of the survival and evolution of the Khidr Elias district. The paper argues that it can be considered as an example for the use of intangible heritage in reviving other heritage places in Iraq. Furthermore, it clarifies the effect of place on flourishing people's role in preserving inherited beliefs and practices.