Omani poetess Hilala Al Hamdani passes away

Gulf Today Report

The Omani poetess Hilala Al Hamdani, who gave birth three days ago, passed away on Wednesday morning after she suffered from a stroke, Omani media reported.

Hilala was the first Khaleeji poetess to participate in the 2nd edition of the “Million's Poet” programme in 2007.

Social media witnessed a state of grief over the death of Hilala Al Hamdani, as many poets and tweeters mourned her, expressing their shock at her sudden death.

Hilala reportedly suffered a stroke three days after she gave birth to her newborn. It was also said she posted on her account on Snapchat on Tuesday morning a congratulatory card from her aunt with the words “Dear Hilala…Praise be to God for your safety. Congratulations on the newborn…Your aunt Laila.”

The poetess was influenced by her father, who writes poetry in both genres, eloquent and Nabati. She was more influenced by eloquence, until she completed secondary school. After that, she mastered Nabati poetry. She was the first Omani poetess to take part in the Million’s Poet programs, and that she reached advanced stages.

Abu Dhabi-based Million’s Poet is a unique talent show that is revolutionizing a traditional art form for the modern era, revitalizing Nabati poetry for a young Arab generation and reconnecting them with a heritage that stretches back more than five centuries.

The Abu Dhabi Authority for Culture and Heritage (Adach) commissioned and pays for the show as part of a bigger initiative by the biggest Emirate to raise the cultural bar in the Gulf. Millions' Poets costs Dhs70m (£14m) to produce per season, including the Dhs27m in prize money.

The Millions' Poets phenomenon has spurred the launch of a dedicated satellite channel for re-runs, a website that gets millions of hits, and a magazine.