Omani Contemporary

WritersBy Lydia

Oman’s Literary Tradition

• Ancient• 9th – 11th century

• ‘Ansab al-Arab’• Salama al-Awtabi

• 11th century

Literature Today

• 1975 – National Cultural Club• Cultural and Literary Magazines

• The New Culture, Algadeer• Ahmed al-Falahi

• The Noon• Nizwah

• Saif al-Rahbi

• Ministry of Heritage and Cultural Affairs

Abdulaziz Muhammed Majid al-Farsi• Born 1976 in Shinas• Senior oncology specialist at Sultani

Hospital

• Published 4 short story collections• Banipal Magazine

Jokha al-Harthi

• Born 1978• PhD from Edinburgh

University• Associate Arabic professor at

Sultan Qaboos University• 2 collections of short stories

and 2 novels• Manamat and Sayyidat el-

Qamar• Banipal Magazine

Saif al-Rahbi

• b. 1956 in Sroor, Oman• Educated in Cairo

• Prose and Poetry writer• Ajras al-Qatia’a• Editor-in-chief of Nizwah magazine

‘Friends’

From the dreariness of the roadthey camebundled up in coats whose beltswere the autumn of water-springs.

Their wounds galloped over mountains and dreamsbut never made it.from the collection Rajul Min al-Rub’ al-Khali [A Man from the Empty Quarter], Beirut, 1994

Omani Poetry

• Annual Poetry award• Many prestigious poets• Abdullah al-Taiey• Sheikh Abdullah bin Ali al-Khalili• Abu Surur Humayd al-Jamii• Hilal bin Badr• Etc.

Examples of Omani Poetry

‘Crossing’The storm that meetsnothing in its pathdies.And short sentencesare the best wayof crossing oceans. - Abdullah al-Ryami

تصادف ال التي العاصفة O شيئا طريقها في

Y[نف]ق تالقصيرة والج]م[ل

لعبور وسيلة أجمل.المحيطات

ع]بور

Conclusion!

Contemporary Omani writers are emerging from the rich historical literary traditions of Oman into

the global world of words.This is just the beginning!

The End

نهاية

Sources• Abdulaziz Mohammed Majid Al-Farsi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

(2011, October 1). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved October 10, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdulaziz_Mohammed_Majid_Al-Farsi

• Alkhamyasi, S. A. (2006, April 11). A Noble Gesture for the Omani Writers.Ministry of Information, Sultanate of Oman. Retrieved October 10, 2013, from http://www.omanet.om/english/culture/20.asp

• Banipal (UK) Magazine of Modern Arab Literature - Contributors - Saif al-Rahbi. (n.d.). Banipal (UK) Magazine of Modern Arab Literature. Retrieved October 10, 2013, from http://www.banipal.co.uk/contributors/63/saif-al-rahbi/

• Jokha al-Harthi - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. (2013, March 8). Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Retrieved October 10, 2013, from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jokha_al-Harthi

• Literature. (n.d.).  الرئيسية Retrieved October 10, 2013, from .الصفحةhttp://fanack.com/en/countries/oman/society-media-culture/culture/literature/

• Ryami, A. a. (n.d.). Poems from Oman - Poetry Translation Centre. Poetry Translation Centre. Retrieved October 10, 2013, from http://www.poetrytranslation.org/poems/filter