Lakiya

For the ethnic territory of Lak people in Russia, see Lakia.

Lakiya לָקִיָּה‎‎ اللقية‎
Hebrew transcription(s)
• Also spelled	Laqye (official)
Lakiya
Coordinates:
District	Southern
Founded	1982
Government
• Type	Local council
• Head of Municipality	Khaled el-Sana
Area
• Total	5,728 dunams (5.728 km2 or 2.212 sq mi)
Population (2010)
• Total	9,943

Lakiya, or Laqye (Hebrew: לָקִיָּה‎) is a Bedouin town (local council) in the Southern District of Israel.

History

Lakiya was founded in 1985 as part of a government project to settle Bedouins in permanent settlements. It is one of the seven original government-planned Bedouin townships in the Negev desert.

In December 2009, the town was ranked lowest (1 out of 10) in socio-economic standing, with an average income of 4,360 shekels compared to the national average's of 7,070. Only 58.2% of grade twelve students are eligible to graduate from high school.

In 1999 the first local council elections were held, with Sheikh Ibrahim Abu Maharab elected as council head. Abu Maharab was later succeeded by Khaled al-Sana.

Demographics

According to the Israel Central Bureau of Statistics (CBS), the population of Lakiya was 9,943 in December 2010 (7,600 in December 2004). Its annual growth rate is 3.1%. Lakiya's jurisdiction is 5,728 dunams (5.7 km²).

There are several Bedouin clans residing in Lakiya, al-Sana being the largest among them. Other families are: Al-Assad, Abu Ammar and Abu Maharab. Some clans don't live inside Lakiya, but on adjacent territory.

Economy

In 2013, Arab-Bedouin women from Lakiya and other Bedouin towns participated in a sewing course for fashion design at the Amal College in Beer Sheva, including lessons on sewing and cutting, personal empowerment and business initiatives.

Weaving and embroidery projects

Lakiya weaving project

The Lakiya Negev Weaving Project was founded in 1991, its aim is to empower Negev Bedouin women by applying their traditional weaving skills to the manufacture and sale of woven products. It is based completely on the unique Bedouin heritage passed on from mother to daughter. Approximately 130 Bedouin women are involved in this project in all the stages of the production from initial wool treatment, weaving the rugs, cushion covers and pouches, and selling. These women were provided guidance, professional consulting and hands-on assistance in the fields of marketing, branding, sales, the business's organizational structure and business plan, fundraising and networking. The project's aim was to make it a successful, profitable and financially independent cooperative business. It is about to succeed - several retailers and chains sell Bedouin traditional ground-looms all over Israel, including Haifa, and also abroad. A new visitors' center will be open soon but it has already become a tourist site.

Embroidered bookmark of the Lakiya Project

Another tourist site is the Desert Embroidery project. Some 20 women completed their professional entrepreneurial and business training and guidance and initiated a project based on the design and production of the traditional Bedouin costume jewelry. They are producing this embroidery at home with traditional Bedouin motifs and decorations. The women also hold Bedouin embroidery workshops and events based on the Bedouin tradition. Their workshop is also a visitors' center and it is a famous tourist attraction in the area.

Healthcare

There are branches of several health funds (medical clinics) in Lakiya: Leumit, Clalit and several Tipat Halav well baby clinics .

Education and culture

There are a number of schools in the township and a communal activity center.

Notable residents

• Taleb el-Sana, an Israeli politician, the longest serving Arab member of the Knesset
• Ismael Abu-Saad, professor of education, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
• Amal Elsana Alh'jooj, spokesperson for the Bedouin women, co-executive director of the Negev Institute for Strategies of Peace and Development (NISPED), a founding director of the Arab-Jewish Center for Equality, Empowerment and Cooperation (AJEEC); a member of Prime Minister’s Commission for Economic Development of the Arab Sector. She established the first Arab Bedouin women's organization to improve the situation of Bedouin women at the age of 17.
• Roz Willey as-Sana, Bedouin Weaving project coordinator

See also

• Arab localities in Israel

External links

• Lakiya Negev Weaving - website of one of Lakiya's main businesses
• Lands of the Negev, a short film presented by Israel Land Administration describing the challenges faced in providing land management and infrastructure to the Bedouins in Israel's southern Negev region