Across the Arab world, folk tales have long served as powerful vessels of memory, identity, and collective imagination. During an insightful panel discussion titled “A Bridge between Two Shores: Creative Intersections in the Arab World”, held as part of Sharjah’s Guest of Honour cultural programme at the ongoing 30th Rabat International Publishing and Book Fair, scholars explored the enduring significance of folk storytelling within Arab societies. The dialogue focused on how these narratives transmit cultural knowledge, become integrated as cultural idioms, and effortlessly traverse geographical borders.
The engaging session featured renowned Moroccan scholar Dr. Said Yaktine and esteemed Emirati writer Sheikha Al Jaberi, with acclaimed poet Sheikha Al Mutairi moderating the conversation.
Dr. Yaktine opened the discussion by emphasising the timeless role folk tales play as a unifying cultural force, describing them as an invaluable record of human experience and our connection to the world. He highlighted that the strength of these narratives lies in their simplicity, emotional resonance, and adaptability, enabling them to evolve into widely recognised proverbs and cultural idioms. He noted their exceptional ability to transcend cultural boundaries, illustrating this with the character of Juha, a widely recognised figure appearing in diverse forms across both Arab and international folklore.
Further elaborating, Dr. Yaktine underscored the critical function of folk tales in traditional Arab communities as primary channels for knowledge transmission, often enriched by symbolic and historical figures such as Al-Jaziya Al-Hilaliyya, Harun Al-Rashid, and Wallada bint Al-Mustakfi. He asserted that popular culture serves as the foundation for scholarly traditions, arguing that meaningful cultural renewal must begin with an engaged revisitation and reimagining of collective memories in contemporary contexts.
Sheikha Al Jaberi, offering her perspective, explored the pivotal role women play in preserving and passing down folk tales through generations, affirming their status as essential custodians of cultural heritage and identity. She highlighted the commonality between Emirati and Moroccan oral storytelling traditions, referencing the shared use of terms like kharoufa or kharareef, which denote folk stories in both cultures.
Al Jaberi further illustrated the cohesive nature of Arab folk narratives by citing variations of globally familiar tales like Cinderella, known in Emirati culture as Al Badeeha and Sameekti, showcasing how such universal narratives are uniquely localised within different societies.
In closing, the panellists reinforced that folk tales remain integral to bridging cultural divides within the Arab world, equipping younger generations with tools to better understand themselves and others through the rich lenses of memory and imagination.