Restoration of Arabic poetry pioneer’s Basra home stirs a forgotten past
Deep in Iraq ’s south, the birthplace of one of the pioneers of modern Arabic poetry is slowly being brought back to life, in a boost to the country's neglected heritage. Badr Shakir Al Sayyab, born in 1926 in Jaykur village outside Basra, broke away from classical Arabic poetic forms that relied on a single rhyme and metre. Along with other poets, including Nazik Al Malaika, he helped launch…
In southern Iraq, the once-neglected childhood home of pioneering modern Arabic poet Badr Shakir Al Sayyab (1926-1964) is being restored, with funding from the European Union and UNESCO. Al Sayyab, a key figure in the development of free verse in Arabic poetry, passed away in Kuwait at the age of 38 due to a neurological disease.
His granddaughter, architect Dimah Al Khweder (25), is playing a crucial role in the project, which aims to transform the house into a cultural center and literary museum. The restoration, now 60% complete, involves preserving the building's original materials and rooms while adapting them for modern use. Al Khweder, who never lived in the house herself, is finding the project emotionally rewarding as she learns about her family's past.
The restoration efforts also aim to document the house's history and create jobs in heritage conservation and tourism, recognizing Iraq's heritage as an economic resource. Despite the changes in Jaykur's landscape over the decades, the restoration preserves a physical fragment of the world that inspired Al Sayyab's poetry.
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