Shafaq News – Kirkuk

Khalil Kamil Hussein al-Kakayi, the local mukhtar of the Asra Mafqudin Quarter in Kirkuk, has transformed his office into a heritage museum, showcasing artifacts that reflect the Iraqi city’s diverse cultural and ethnic history.

Born in 1971, al-Kakayi developed a passion for collecting historical objects from a young age. His museum features Kurdish, Arab, and Turkmen items, including mid-20th-century household and agricultural tools, early television and radio sets, handlooms, and farming equipment such as sickles and grain harvesters. These pieces illustrate the daily life, labor, and craftsmanship of previous generations.

Al-Kakayi continues to expand the collection at his own expense, traveling across Iraqi provinces and the Kurdistan Region to acquire artifacts documenting Iraq’s social and cultural history. “The goal is not only to preserve these items but also to educate younger generations about how their ancestors lived a simple life guided by contentment and mutual respect,” he told Shafaq News.

Kirkuk, also spelled Karkuk, is known for its multiculturalism, home to Kurdish, Arab, Turkmen, and Christian communities. The city and its surroundings host significant archaeological sites and heritage monuments dating back millennia.