Authors spotlight short story as a tool for heritage, creativity

Sharjah 24: At the 30th Rabat International Publishing and Book Fair, authors from the UAE and Morocco explored the enduring power of the short story as a literary form that preserves cultural heritage and fosters innovation. Held under Sharjah’s Guest of Honour programme, the panel featured Emirati writers Maryam Al Ghafli and Mariam Nasser, and Moroccan author Abdul Nabi Dashin, moderated by poet Sheikha Al Mutairi.

Preserving culture through narrative tradition

Al Ghafli traced the evolution of Emirati short fiction through three key stages, linking it to oral traditions and literary pioneers like Mohammed Al Murr. She highlighted the genre’s ability to encapsulate deep cultural roots, drawing from tales like Sirat Bani Hilal and Saif ibn Dhi Yazan, and credited early literary figures such as Abdulaziz Al Sharhan and Ali Abdullah for shaping the Emirati short story landscape.

Moroccan storytelling and creative shifts

Moroccan writer Abdul Nabi Dashin opened with a poetic tribute to Emirati women writers, then mapped the development of Moroccan short fiction from its nationalistic origins in the 1950s to a more experimental phase in the 1970s. He stressed the importance of Arab heritage and oral storytelling as vital sources of imagination and cultural continuity.

Craft, precision, and flash fiction

Mariam Nasser spoke about the technical and creative discipline required in short story writing, emphasizing its conciseness and interpretive depth. Referencing Abdullah Saqr’s Al-Khashaba and Gabriel Garcia Marquez’s advice, she highlighted flash fiction’s flexibility as a format and its ability to creatively integrate traditional folk tales into modern storytelling.