Young Creativity: The Foundation and Future of Literature in Yemen

Hanan Hussein – Sawt Al-Amal (Voice of Hope)

Young people are the pillars of the future, a driving force for change and innovation in all fields, including literature in Yemen. They shoulder the responsibility of preserving the rich literary heritage by adding new and innovative touches that reflect their concerns and aspirations, keeping pace with global developments.

A Personal Experience

“My writing experience was neither easy nor spontaneous. It began in school. I tried writing different stories or crafting words and expressions for school broadcasts. I also attempted to turn Arabic grammar rules into stories to make learning easier. That’s where it all began,” says writer Mahmood Ham, author of several works, including “Declared Disappointments.”

He adds, “I started reading texts, novels, poems, and more, which helped me develop my vocabulary and greatly assisted my writing. Alongside reading, knowing literary figures like Dr. Tawfiq Ali and Professor Najib Al-Turki, among others, contributed significantly to developing my literary understanding through their advice and guidance in the field.”

Similarly, young writer Thabit Al-Qutari says, “My experience follows three main paths: heritage restoration, where I published a study of the book ‘The Useful Epistle in Clarifying the Enigma of the Poem/ An Explanation of Ibn Sina’s Poem on the Soul,’ published in Syria by Tamuz Dimuzi House. Then the path of the novel, through the publication of ‘Jasmine’s Magdalene.’ And thirdly, the path of criticism, with the publication of ‘Texts and Readings’, all published by the Story Club (Al-Maqah) and Oscar Book. There is also a general path that involves writing articles.”

He adds, “All of these are writing experiences that have received acceptance and success. The novel has found its way into academic studies and has found a place there. Life, its lessons, situations, and experiences, along with reading and studying, are what shape me. And they have shaped me as I desire.”

The Role of Youth

When asked about the role of young people in developing and promoting Yemeni literature at the local and global levels, and who develops whom – literature develops youth or vice versa – Najib Al-Turki, a Yemeni writer, says, “No matter how diverse the answers and perspectives may be, each one develops the other and is strengthened by it.”

On the importance of young people’s role in enriching Yemeni literature, Al-Turki says, “Young people have paramount importance in developing themselves first and refining themselves through practicing the process of reading, which is the only way they can develop, build, and influence society.”

From the Yemeni writer Nabil Al-Du’ais’ point of view, the role of conscious young people is developmental in all literary, artistic, and other fields. Their passion for ideas, optimism about their future work, and enthusiasm combined with a strong belief in the principles that guide them, create a qualitative leap in their field.

Mahmood Ham, for his part, believes that the role of young people is influential and effective in all areas of life, whether literary, scientific, social, political, religious, or other fields. They are a vital foundation in developing literature, refining it to the desired and optimal level, and disseminating it appropriately both locally and internationally. Through young people and their active literary activities that keep pace with the times and literary modernity, the true and expressive image of Yemeni society is highlighted, a society with a wealth of literary culture. It reflects the good image of the Yemeni people as a whole because Yemen is known for its long history in all areas of life, including literature in general.

The Evolution of the Digital World

Writer Dhikrayat Aqlan explains that in all areas of life, a young generation must grasp the rudder of the ship, infusing it with energy and renewal. If the role of young people is marginalized, or if young people themselves abandon their role, the literary field will grow old with them and the whole ship will sink. Therefore, the role should involve joining hands with those who came before them to move forward in the wheel of development. Today’s youth have their vision, their insights, and a wider knowledge of how to reach the Arab and international levels, using the advancements of the digital world that allow for rapid access.

She adds, “The literary field is brimming with strong hands that sculpt not only on paper but on stone. Publications are increasing, and social media is witnessing a huge movement in writing through posts, where it’s impossible to name one writer, or even ten because there are so many, and they are so active in reviving cultural activity through these platforms.”

The Literary Aspect

In a conversation about the current Yemeni literary scene, poet Zahir Habib says: “The scene is exceptional in terms of the number of poets and writers of high quality, especially young millennial poets, or let’s say those whose stars have shone for at least the last 15 years and continue to shine without stopping. We are talking about skilled poets who write real, well-rounded poetry, of course.”

Nabil Al-Du’ais, on the other hand, believes that literature has the power to move emotions and change not only ideas but also beliefs and principles that create destruction in society. Literature expands the perspective on any event that happens in front of the community and reshapes it in a way that is consistent with the experiences the writer goes through.

Regarding the most prominent active cultural activities, Dhikrayat Aqlan says: “There are many impactful cultural activities that have left a significant mark on Yemeni society in recent times, such as ‘Qanṭara’ cultural project, which focuses on developing creative writing in Yemen, in addition to the ‘Writing Protects Them’ project, which aims to train girls in creative writing. Some clubs work to revive activities and events regularly and continuously, such as ‘Story Club’, ‘Kayan Club’, ‘Noon Salon’, ‘Shahrazad Foundation’, and many others. Despite all the obstacles, the cultural wheel keeps moving, regardless of its speed.”

On the importance of holding events at the Yemeni Story Club (Al-Maqah) in Sana’a every Wednesday, Mahmood Ham says: “We cannot deny the few personal efforts that target youth by holding some literary activities that aim to develop and empower youth in the literary field. The most important of these is the ‘Qanṭara’ creative project and the ‘Life of Crafts Production’ workshop, which trains a group of young people on how to write short stories.”

In the same vein, Najib Al-Turki says: “Since the beginning of the conflict, there have been diverse cultural activities, few enough to count on one hand, in the basement, or as it is now known, the Yemeni House of Music. There is a cultural event almost every Saturday. As for the Story Club (Al-Maqah), events have continued during the conflict until now every Wednesday of every week. Every meeting is different from the one before it, whether it involves discussing a novel, a group of writers discussing various literary issues, or organizing a book signing for a poetry collection. And so on.”

Notable Work

Najib Al-Turki confirms that there are many works by young Yemenis, including: “About a Thousand Pains and Feelings” by Amal Al-Ariqi, “What the Hawk Said” by Reem Darwish, “The Moon’s Confession” by Sala Al-Qahtani, “There Was a Feeling That Shackled My Thoughts” by Nada Al-Du’ais, “Declared Disappointments” by Mahmood Ham, “The Hand that Hung the Mirror” by Huda Ja’far, and “Between the Crossroads of Feeling” by Maria Amin.

Mahmood Ham believes that there are many examples of young people trying to make a good literary mark that befits Yemeni literature and culture. The literary scene is full of them, and their literary works reflect their cultural and literary development. Despite this, they continue to improve themselves in this field continuously. This development is mainly due to individual efforts, except in rare cases.

As for his opinion on the most prominent literary works by young people, he says: “Some of them have not published any literary work yet, but in my opinion, they are people whose writing is prestigious and surpasses others by many stages. Among them is the writer Tawfiq Ali Gathimi.” As for the works that caught his attention and deserve mention for their pure literary quality, they include:

• “Something of an Effect” (poetic texts), and “Winter Sun” (a novel), by writer and poet Najib Al-Turki.
• “About a Thousand Pains and Feelings” (literary texts), by writer Amal Al-Ariqi.
• “Dostoyevsky in Sana’a” (a novel), by Nabil Al-Du’ais.
• “The Nothing” (texts), by Rana Nail.
• “Your Land, O Stranger” (a novel), by Aryaf Al-Tamimi.
• “Afterwards” (a novel), by Dhikrayat Aqlan.
• “The Magdalene of Jasmine” (a novel), by Thabit Al-Qutari.
• “Two Isolations” (texts), by writer Ni’ma Al-Khalid.

Challenges

Zahir Habib sees that Yemeni writers suffer from systematic marginalization, surrounded by it from all sides. There are no literary entities that embrace them as they should, and no government institutions that pay attention to them or provide them with the appropriate environment to create their art.

He continues: “This marginalization is what has made the role of the Yemeni writer in society absent, even actively hiding and excluding them. It wouldn’t be this way if those in charge in the country understood the enlightening role that writers can play in building communities. We live in a time where the sound of bullets drowns out the scratch of pens. The rampant absurdity we see is a result of that.”

In the same vein, Dhikrayat believes that the most prominent challenge facing writers is the lack of necessary support to overcome basic obstacles, such as the difficulty of publishing and reviving the activities they want to hold, and the scarcity of cultural events supported by the state. This leaves every group isolated in a certain corner.

Najib Al-Turki explains that the lack of resources is the biggest obstacle, in addition to the family. If the family doesn’t engage with the effort the writer puts in, it’s not good for their work. And finally, the literary scene in Yemen is full of good and bad, and writers need to surround themselves with those who are worthy of preservation.

Mahmood Ham talks about the challenges: “There are many challenges and hardships, some for political reasons, and some for social and economic reasons. All of these reasons can help young people grow up with a literary upbringing or hinder them and kill their talent while it’s still in its cradle.”

From Nabil Al-Du’ais’ point of view, the most prominent obstacles – in addition to those mentioned previously – include “the lack of appreciation for writers and their role. The recognition that anyone contributing to society is valuable has been entirely replaced by mockery and belittling. This is just the beginning of the challenges they face.”

He adds: “Also, the lack of genuine institutions that embrace the writer makes literature more difficult, especially when it comes to review and publication. The young person needs to find a job outside of the field of literature to make a living. There are also international problems that might prevent any collaboration between the writer and a publishing house unless it is fully paid for, and this attracts an Arab audience instead of a Yemeni audience, where reading is almost impossible. The most important obstacle is the writers themselves. The despair that the conflict has instilled in them, the constant question about the value of writing in such situations, and finally the surrender to the struggle for survival.”

Solutions

Mahmood Ham emphasizes that there are many proposals and solutions, but the most important of them in his opinion is to encourage young people and empower them through workshops, literary evenings, training courses, and competitions, as well as dedicating special literary centers under the supervision of the Ministry of Culture, which can develop and empower young people.

He adds: “If we want to address the shortcomings in this field, it starts with the individual in the process of self-development through reading, participation, and interaction with those in the field. This is followed by the role of private institutions and clubs that must adopt – as much as they can – literary talents. We conclude by emphasizing the foundation that could elevate the cultural field if it receives the support and role it deserves from the state, particularly through the Ministry of Culture and its associated entities.”

The solutions, as suggested by Nabil Al-Du’ais, include comprehensive development of the institutional and educational system in Yemen, attention from higher authorities to the issues of young writers, the continuation of the initiatives and cultural clubs existing through personal efforts, attempts to raise public awareness of the importance of literature, whether on a social, political, or other level and then encouraging younger generations to read, as it is the only way to a bright future, until the day when major solutions come from the relevant authorities.

The short story writer Maha Salah concluded by saying that the most prominent solutions involve several key measures, including: “The need for official and non-governmental literary and cultural institutions to fulfill their essential role in discovering, supporting, and protecting creative talents. This includes raising community awareness about the need to support literary and creative projects; raising community awareness about the importance of supporting literary and creative projects; reviving the literary newspapers that have ceased publication; ensuring that intellectual property rights are honored for creators and, allowing them to continue their writing; and adopting the concept of literary and artistic release, a practice embraced in all Arab countries and one of the key factors contributing to the emergence of innovative literary works in Yemen and beyond.”

In conclusion, we find that our Yemeni youth constitute a great literary treasure, despite the suffering and difficult circumstances they are going through, so it must be invested well by providing the necessary support and clearing the obstacles they face. We can see a new generation of Yemeni writers who are capable of enriching the Arab and global literary scene.