Marginalizing the Gulf Culture!
Jameel Theyabi Al-Hayat - 13/08/07//
Could the so called Arab 'hostility' toward the 'emerging' Gulf literature and arts be real? Is there a rejection of the literary spirit that is currently flourishing in the Gulf region? Are the Arabs of the Levant, Egypt and Iraq still looking at the Gulf literary works as a product of 'money' rather than the reflection of real culture and of reality? IN fact, is there a cultural conflict between 'real' Arabs and 'Gulf' Arabians? Is the Gulf literature threatening its other Arab counterpart? And is there a desire to exclude North Africa's culture which is rich in philosophy and literary expertise that reflects reality? Do the intellectuals of the Gulf need to build a literary front to stand against the coalition of those who call themselves "Arab intellectuals" who insist on limiting Arab culture and literature to themselves? And why do the intellectuals of the Gulf and Yemen still have to earn approval and acceptance from the intellectuals of the Levant and Egypt?
Is it true that some Arabs still look at any Gulf literary works as the product of a barren desert while their works are the fruits of green pastors and prosperous meadows? Why is the Gulf intellectual still classified as a foreigner to literature and culture and his literary works as the outcome of the oil wealth rather than a literary revolution with no ties to the spirit of progress and defiance?
In its most recent issue, "A book in a newspaper" or "A newspaper in a book" managed to cram 36 poets from Saudi Arabia and Yemen together whereas the pages of an entire issue are often allocated for a single poet from Egypt or the Levant.
There indeed is a sense of revolt and bitterness among some Saudi and Yemeni poets, and for a good reason too. After all, if cramming 36 poets from the Gulf region in one issue does not indicate despise toward the literary experience and heritage of this region, then what does?
I side with the Gulf and Yemeni intellectuals who believe that their works deserve more coverage and attention, even if not at the same level of their Levantine and Egyptian counterparts. The wealth and diversity of these works and experiences do indeed merit such attention, if for anything, at least to introduce the Gulf literary works to the Arab world.
There is no doubt that Gulf poetry has progressed significantly over the past few years. The Gulf novel has also witnessed similar developments, especially in Saudi Arabia over the past two decades. Moreover, several poets have dedicated themselves to poetry and rhetoric, publishing at their own expense both at home and overseas. This has convinced some Arab and foreign critics to take notice and to celebrate this progress as a sign of emerging cultural wealth amidst regional and international turbulence surrounding the region.
It was in this context that Mr. Turki Sedeiri, editor in chief of Al-Riyadh Newspaper sponsoring "A book in a newspaper" when he boycotted this latter publication two years ago because Saudi and other Gulf intellectuals were not invited to a conference organized by the publication. In think that if "A book in a newspaper" is to continue and succeed, it has to put an end to cultural marginalization and to show some respect to all literary works in the Arab world regardless of what region they come from.
Additionally, those in charge of the project should respect the literary and cultural value of creativity and the minds and souls of their readers, and avoid the intentional cultural exclusion or marginalization.
Perhaps the intellectuals of Yemen and the Gulf region, especially Saudi Arabia, have every right to question the official sponsor of the project, himself a Saudi, how he deprives poets from those countries the opportunity to introduce their rich literary and poetic works to the universe despite the fact that the intellectual progress of these countries has taken place over a period of three thousand years.
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