Ousha the Poet
Ousha bint Khalifa Al Suwaidi (Arabic: عوشه بنت خليفة السويدي) also known as Fatat Al-Arab (Girl of the Arabs), Ousha Al Sha'er (Ousha the Poet) (1 January 1920 – 27 July 2018) was an Emirati poet. She is regarded as among the finest Arabic Nabati poets.
Ousha bint Khalifa Al Suwaidi | |
|---|---|
| عوشه بنت خليفة السويدي | |
| Born | 1 January 1920 |
| Died | 27 July 2018 (aged 98) |
| Relatives | Ahmed Bin Khalifa Al Suwaidi (brother) |
Early life and education
Ousha was born and raised in Al Ain and moved later in life to the emirate of Dubai. A prominent cultural figure, she is regarded as among the finest Arabic Nabati poets with a large number of her poems sung by popular Emirati and Arab artists. Her work has been influential in the development of Nabati poetry in the UAE, particularly among young female poets.[1]
Works
Ousha's work was influenced by both classical poets such as Al-Mutanabbi, Abu Tammam and Al-Ma'arri, as well as local Nabati poets including Al Majidi bin Thahir, Rashid Al Khalawi, Saleem bin Abdul Hai and Mohsin Hazzani.[2]
In 1989, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Crown Prince of Dubai at the time, dedicated a poem from his first published collection giving her the sobriquet "Fatat Al Arab" instead of her original name "Fatat Al Khaleej" (Girl of the Gulf).
Awards
In 2010, Ousha was awarded at the 11th Sharjah Festival of Classic Poetry and later won the Abu Dhabi award, presented by Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan.[2] In 2011 an annual award for female Emirati poets was established in her name and a section in her honour was dedicated in Dubai's Women's Museum.[3] A biography of Ousha was published by Rafia Ghubash, the President of the Arabian Gulf University in Bahrain.[3] She was awarded with Abu Dhabi Awards for her services in 2009.[4]
On 28 November 2022, she was celebrated with a Google Doodle.[5] Google doodle image was illustrated by Abu Dhabi-based artist Reem Al Mazrouei.[6]
References
- "Female poets find their voices". The National. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
- "Ousha Al Suwaidi". Abu Dhabi Awards.
- "Oosha bint Khalifa Al Suweidi honored with prestigious event". AlShindagah.com. Retrieved 2017-10-12.
- "The late Ousha bint Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Suwaidi United Arab Emirates". Abu Dhabi Awards. Retrieved September 23, 2019.
- "Celebrating Ousha Al Suwaidi". Google Doodle. 28 November 2022.
- Sircar, Nandini. "15 days, 10 versions: How Dubai-based artist created Google doodle honouring Emirati poet Ousha Al Suwaidi". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 2022-11-29.