18th Century Masterpiece
July 2019
Mary Magdalene in Ecstasy
Honouring the late Poet Laureate of the United Arab Emirates
Fatat Al Arab – Ousha the Poet (1920- 2018)
Under the Patronage of HE Ahmed Khalifa Al Suwaidi
Personal Representative of His Highness the President of the United Arab Emirates
Founding Patron & President of the Al Suwaidi Foundation and Family Council
Born in Al Ain, UAE, in 1920, Ousha bint Khalifa Al Suwaidi was born into a literature and poetry loving family that would shape her legacy.
Influenced by classical poets such as Al Mutannabi, Abu Tammam, and Al Ma’ari, and local Nabati poets including Al Majidi bin Thahir, Rashid Al Khalawi, Saleem bin Abdul Hai, and Mohsin Hazzani, Ousha started writing many poems in a short space of time.
Ousha rose to become a prominent cultural figure and was given the nickname “Fatat Al Khaleej” (Girl of the Gulf). Her poetry, written in classical Arabic, covered a variety of themes including love, wisdom, nostalgia, praise, and patriotic sentiments. Her vocabulary and style drew heavily on the environment in which she lived, recalling intimate images of the United Arab Emirate’s local land and sea and the country’s past and present. Her most important poem was written in praise of the Prophet Mohammed (PUBH).
She is regarded as one of 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. Thanks to Ousha’s encouragement, the poetic voice of women became strong and essential to the cultural scene across the Emirates.
In 1989, following Ousha’s participation in a series of poetry recitals with him, HH Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai dedicated a poem from his first published collection to Ousha and gave her the sobriquet “Fatat Al Arab” (Girl of the Arabs), replacing her original nickname “Fatat Al Khaleej”.
The poems of Fatat Al Arab have been published in several newspapers, magazines, audio recordings, and poetry collections over the years. The first book was published in 1990 by the poet Hamad Bin Khalifa Bou Shehab.
The second edition of the book was released in the year 2000. In 2011, Dr. Rafia Ghubash published the official biography of the late Ousha Bint Khalifa Al Suwaidi, Fatat Al Arab.
In addition, the Women’s Museum Dubai has dedicated a unique section to Fatat Al Arab highlighting her work, life, and achievements.
In 2019 she was awarded the Abu Dhabi Festival Award by the Abu Dhabi Music & Arts Foundation (ADMAF) in recognition of her exceptional legacy of literary wisdom and poetic creativity that enriched the Emirati literary landscape and made her an influential and inspirational figure in Arab literary culture.
“Our country lost a great symbol of literature, wisdom, and poetry…Fatat Al Arab has left behind treasure of literature and poetry which will continue to tell her biography and she will always be remembered.”
— His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai
“The UAE has lost a great literary figure who left a prominent mark in Nabati poetry. Her poems have enriched the Emirati memory with wisdom, knowledge, and creativity.”
-His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces
“… An exceptional figure with a proven track record of outstanding achievements and contributions to the local cultural scene. She is a popular contemporary poet known for her rich contents and multifaceted creativity. The cultural scene will miss a great poet.”
— HE Noura bint Mohammed Al Kaabi, Minister of Culture and Knowledge Development
