Banipal Nr. 17

Kurztext des Artikels.

Banipal’s issue No 17 opens its pages to the voices of Iraqi writers and poets, beginning a special two-part feature. Since the first issue in February 1998 Banipal has recognised the importance of contemporary Iraqi literature and has published to date works by over 60 writers, poets and artists, most of whom are pictured on No 17’s back cover. Among the authors featured are Badr Shakir al-Sayyab, Saadi Youssef, Abdul Wahab al-Bayati, Mahmoud al-Braikan, Salah Niazi, Fadhil al-Sultani, Hashem Shafiq, Kadhim Jihad, Janan Jassim Hillawi, Hussain al-Mozany, Samira al-Mana, Haifa Zangana, Abdul Sattar Nasser, Mohsen al-Ramli and Abdul Rahman Majeed al-Rubaie. The reviews in this issue are of books by Iraqi authors Saadi Youssef, Ali Badr, Abdul Rahman Tuhmazi, Hussein al-Mozany and Nawal Nasrallah. Part 2 will be in the next issue.

Seven Iraqi intellectuals, all of whom were forced to leave Iraq in 1978, spoke to Banipal about how they now view the future for Iraqi literature and culture. Literary critic Fatima Mohsen is clear that just now “fear of the unknown prevails over any thought of looking to the future” but that the removal of the Saddam regime “represents an opportunity for Iraq to enter new worlds of endeavour on all levels”. The crucial issue for the intellectual is to “develop critical thinking skills” and for the creative self “to challenge its own concepts and ideas”. Poet Saadi Youssef says that the “possible series of shock waves” could last for the next 50 years due to the thoroughgoing destruction of Iraq and its culture by the Ba’athist rulers: “Not a single detail or aspect, no matter how small, has escaped this evil, overreaching process. Not even popular song or music has escaped the onslaught of such a relentless intentionality.” Fellow poet Fadhil al-Azzawi is mindful of the need to “deepen the habit of freedom in the hearts and souls of victims of terror”.

No 17 also has a feature on Lebanese novelist Rabee Jaber who has published nine novels, all much admired by both readers and critics, comprising an excerpt from his latest novel Youssef al-Inglizi [Youssef the Englishman] (2002) and articles by literary critic Faisal Darraj, novelist Anton Shammas and translator Hartmut Fähndrich. From Lebanon too is novelist Alawiyya Subuh, whose novel Mariam al-Hakaya (2002) created a storm when it was published – Banipal has a profile of the novelist and an excerpt from her novel, A poem by Emirates poet and painter Maisoon Saqr and a profile of leading Bahraini poet Qassim Haddad by Bassam Frangieh complete the issue.