Words Like Daggers: The Political Poetry of the Negev Bedouin (Studies on Performing Arts & Literature of the Islamicate World, 13)

The book explores the political poetry recited by the Negev Bedouin from the late Ottoman period to the late twentieth century. By closely reading fifty poems Kobi Peled sheds light on the poets’ sentiments, states of mind and worldviews. Contents Acknowledgments Figures A Note on Transcription, Transliteration, and Arabic Script Introduction 1 A Poem Is Born 2 History’s Emotion 3 Poetry as a Window into Culture 4 The Importance of Poetry in Arab Societies 5 Bar-Zvi as a Player in the Field of Poetry 6 This Book and the Study of Bedouin Poetry 7 Interpreting Poetry as “Thick Description” 8 On the Selection of Political Poetry 9 On Terminology and on the Politics of Language Chapter 1 Verses Sharp as Arrows 1 A Different Battle Poem 2 The Beginning of the Conflict over Land and Power 3 Movement Swift and Violent 4 The Struggle for the Crown of the Tiyāhā 5 The Zāriʿ War as Reflected in Poetry 6 A Farewell to Arms 7 The Gaysiyyah and the Bedouin 8 Conclusion Chapter 2 A New Critical Tone 1 The Buds of Internal Political Critique 2 From the Turkish Sinai Campaign in the Year of the Locust to Their Defeat at the Gaza Gates 3 Prophesying the Fall of a City 4 A Cry of Despair at the Iniquities of the Turks 5 Remonstrations against Land Sales to Jews: the ʿAzāzmeh Version 6 Remonstrations against Land Sales to Jews: The Tiyāhā and Tarābīn Versions 7 Complaining to Ibn Saud about Ibn Saʿīd 8 The Poetic Protest against Land Sales Waxes Poignant 9 Conclusion Chapter 3 “The Catastrophe Lying in Wait” 1 The Bedouin and the 1948 War 2 The Fall of Beersheba and the Flight of the Bedouin Leadership 3 The Nakba in the Poetry of the Refugees When They Arrived in the Negev 4 Conclusion Chapter 4 “Light Up Our Moon Now That It Has Set” 1 A Poetic Meditation on the Changes That the War Brought to the World of the Bedouin 2 Criticizing the Sad State of the Bedouin Leadership in 1949 3 Scathing Language and Audacity of the Poet 4 The Trauma of Expulsion and Forced Transfer in Bedouin Poetry 5 Conclusion Chapter 5 “God Be Praised, We Have Become Modern Now” 1 The Loss of Tribal Cohesion and Its Discontents 2 Criticizing the Bedouin’s Political, Social and Normative Weakness 3 Gender Role Reversals as Allegories of Political Upheavals 4 Decrying the Israeli Authorities, Collaborating Chiefs and Regional Arab Leadership 5 Conclusion Conclusion 1 Back to the Summer of 1975 2 Bedouin Poetry in its Poetic Context 3 Political Poetry in a Changing World 4 Bedouin Poetry as “Deep Play” Appendix Bibliography Index "The book explores the political poetry recited by the Negev Bedouin from the late Ottoman period to the late twentieth century. By closely reading fifty poems Peled sheds light on the poets' sentiments and worldviews. To get to the bottom of the issues that inspired their poetry, he weaves an interpretive web informed by the study of language, culture and history. The poems reveal that the poets were perfectly aware of the workings of the power systems that took control of their lives and lifestyle. Their poetry indicates that they did not remain silent but practiced their art in the face of their hardships, observing the collapse of their world with a mixture of despair and inspiration, bitterness and wit"-- Provided by publisher