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Jordan Valley teenager keeps tradition of handmade wire toys alive

By Muath Freij - Apr 03,2014 - Last updated at Apr 03,2014

GHOR AL MAZRAA — It only took 14-year-old Khaled Mohammad three hours to learn the basics of creating wire cars. 

Now, an expert in his local neighbourhood, Mohammad can confidently claim that he is a master of this specialised craft. 

It was through simply observing his neighbour devotedly create toy cars out of ordinary wire that initially sparked Mohammad’s interest.

He decided then and there that he too would be a master of this craft, and would therefore similarly fascinate others as he had been fascinated. 

Due to his continued dedication to this hobby, the teenager can easily tailor his craft to his customers’ needs, creating any kind of toy vehicle they wish for. 

“Now my neighbour cannot make the same vehicles I make,” he told The Jordan Times, smiling as he sat intricately crafting a car for a client.  

Handmade toy cars, though considered quaint nowadays, were one of the most popular toys for children across Jordan in the past. 

“Mohammad is simply gifted,” said Rabee Zureikat, founder of the Zikra initiative, a programme to facilitate exchange between Amman residents and those of the Jordan Valley, particularly Ghor Al Mazraa.

He added that Mohammad used to wait for him so he could proudly show him and the area’s visitors his handmade labours of love. 

Mohammad claims that he is one of only five people in Ghor Al Mazraa who can replicate this age-old skill, attributing this to the fact that many residents feel too embarrassed to associate themselves with such basic toys. 

Zureikat also noted that modernity has had a negative impact on this childhood hobby. 

“Most children like to buy toys instead of making them. This is because people label such toys as being ‘primitive’,” he told The Jordan Times.

However, this sentiment seems to bypass Mohammad, who noted that making handmade cars is all he does after school. 

“I used to create one car a day. After I got used to it, I began making three cars a day,” he added. 

The designs of the cars he chooses to mould into shape are purely from his imagination. 

“I remember most car designs I make. But, if anyone wants to have a car based on a specific model, I am able to create it for him,” he noted. 

Mohammad voiced hope that his hobby might have the potential to be a business opportunity for him.

“One person from Amman bought a car I made for 35JD,” he said. 

Zureikat said he will help Mohammad market his creations in the capital. 

“I will work on collecting his products and exhibiting them in a place in Amman so that he can turn his hobby into a viable source of income.”  

For his part, Mohammad continues to breathe life into this craft by teaching his relatives his skills, therefore keeping this tradition alive in the community.

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