The eruption of tribal conflict in several places throughout the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 2009 is evidence of the continued significance of kinship ties in Jordan, as is the increasingly institutionalized nature of family or kin-based associations. As kin groups have become more institutionalized - some going so far as to formally register as welfare agencies - their public role has evolved in some surprising ways. Specifically, some kin-based associations have publically called for a cultural "renewal" or "awakening" in response to economic realities in Jordan. The program for renewal has consisted of public documents, conferences and charters which delineate lists of harmful customs, as well as recommendations for "cultural change" more conducive to Jordan's progress and development. The most recent document released by tribes and clans of al-Salt in 2008 also addresses tribal mediations and honor crimes in its laundry list of cultural do's and don'ts. The authors of these documents call both for the "development" of culture to reflect contemporary economic contexts, as well as the return to purer and more noble cultural traditions not tainted by consumerism. This paper is particularly concerned with this role of kin-based institutions as apparent harbingers of cultural shifts. Drawing on analysis of their public proclamations, related conference proceedings, as well as the media coverage and recent on-line debates about the legitimacy and/or efficacy of such efforts this paper will examine the role of kin-based non-governmental organizations in delineating what are appropriate and "civilized" customs and traditions. The paper also examines shifts in the culture discourse of these groups; as they become more institutionalized these groups have begun to take up some issues typically associated with the agenda of international development and rights groups such as women's participation in civil society. In some respects then their engagement with culture may upset long-held assumptions about the conservatism of kin-based groups. Furthermore, their evolution and the evolution of their culture talk provide critical insights into new dynamics of civil society engagement with contemporary politics of culture in Jordan.