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Poetry is a highly evolved and sophisticated form of artistic expression in Saharawi society. Poets are held in high esteem and this reflects a culture that has been built on deeply rich oral traditions. Historically, and still in the present, poetry has been the primary vehicle for transmitting the culture, collective memories and values of the nomadic desert dwelling Saharawis. Their poetic tradition is expressed in both classical Arabic and Hassaniya, their spoken language, and covers a complex range of styles and genres to express themes that speak of the landscape of their homeland, nostagia, love, battles, religious praise and more. Poetry played a key role in powerfully conveying the message of the Saharawi liberation struggle in its early days, in the 70s, when most of the society was still largely illiterate. In exile, much poetry has been dedicated to the conflict to express the battles, sufferings, human rights abuses and aspirations of the Saharawi people. As a result of Spanish colonialism and the elevated numbers of Saharawis who have studied in Cuba since exile began, a new generations of Saharawis have emerged who opt for Spanish over Arabic to express themselves. A group of poets called The Generation of Saharawi Friendship reflect this trend. Treinta y Uno, the first anthology of their poems to be published in Spanish and English, was produced by Sandblast in collaboration with Leeds University. It can be bought directly from the Sandblast Shop. Excerpt from the poetry collection, Treinta y Uno: Seasons of Exile Aching winter Migrating birds, [...] Forgotten wood aromas I reread |
