SINF holds sessions on travellers’ tales

The 25th edition of the Sharjah International Narrator Forum continues to offer a rich platform for research, dialogue, and exploration of Arab oral heritage and travel literature.

The forum brings together researchers and scholars from across the globe, presenting papers, panel discussions, and in-depth debates on the historical and cultural dimensions of travel. Sessions highlighted the intellectual and humanistic role of travellers in documenting knowledge and cultural experiences.

In the session titled “Cities of the UAE and the Arabian Gulf in Travellers’ and Geographers’ Writings,” moderated by Dr Salem Al Teneiji, three research papers explored the contributions of travellers and geographers in documenting Emirati cities and ports.

The first paper, presented by Talal Al Rumaithi, examined the 1958 journey of the head of the Kuwaiti UN delegation to the UAE and Qatar, while Mohammed Jassim Al Sidah reviewed detailed observations on emerging educational institutions in Sharjah and the role of Kuwaiti collaboration in strengthening cultural ties.

The second paper by Wafaa Salem Al Hashimi focused on the Andalusian traveller Ibn Jubayr and his Hajj journeys in the 12th and 13th centuries, emphasising his urban, social, and cultural observations that have made his writings an essential reference for researchers.

The third paper, by Fatima Al Mazrouei, titled “Al Dhafra Between History and Literature,” highlighted Ali Al Kindi Al Marr’s work in documenting Al Dhafra’s history, desert routes, water resources, and popular poetry that preserved place names, underscoring the importance of his writings in understanding Emirati cultural identity.

Dr Al Teneiji concluded the session with a paper analysing the descriptions of Emirati cities by four travellers from the 9th to 13th centuries Hijri, emphasising the vital role of UAE coastal towns such as Julfar, Dibba, Fujairah, and Sharjah as active trade hubs and cultural bridges.

Another session, “Oral Traditions in Arab Travels,” moderated by Dr Khalid Al Shehi, examined the cultural, literary, and anthropological dimensions of travel in Arab heritage.

Dr Ahmed Bahie Eldin noted that travel represents a humanistic, intellectual, and spiritual pursuit, while Dr Samir Al Dhamer highlighted travellers like Mohammed Bin Blihed in preserving folk memory and traditions.

Dr Najima Tai Tai presented a study of Moroccan folktales, showing how symbolic journeys in stories reflect human growth and discovery.

The forum also hosted a session on “Marvels and Wonders in Arab Travelogues.”

Italian researcher Claudia Maria Triso examined the presence of women and children in Ibn Battuta’s journeys, while Dr Abdel Hakim Tareefa explored social and cultural practices documented in travellers’ diaries. Dr Youssef Ding Long compared Ibn Battuta’s travels with those of Xu Xiake, and Dr Ahmed Alwani studied the intersection of reality and imagination in travel texts.