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Round-table Sharjah forum examines Juha's inspiration

Sharjah - "Oral literature is very significant in Arab society, and Juha has certainly made a great contribution."

Over a dozen intellectuals examined Juha's literary and cultural inspiration at a round-table discussion on day two of three at the Sharjah International Narrators Forum (SINF), which concluded September 28.
Held during the Cultural Café, the discussion, titled "The Authenticity of Hodja's Character and Heritage," and chaired by Lebanese cinematic figure, Jan Hajjar, focused on Juha's use of wits, mockery, and feigning of foolishness in day-to-day life.
The panel, who also zeroed in on the need to preserve Juha's character and narration via cinematic and theatrical productions, included Egyptian producer and writer, Mohammed Hassaan; Tunisian artist, Najib Khoroubi; Egyptian academic, Dr Amro Monir; Qatari university lecturer, Dr Rabiah Al Kawaari; Italian scholar, Dr Eliana; Safia Kamal Jao; and Abdulrazaak Sharit.
Commenting on the discussion, Dr Al Kawaari said: "Oral literature is very significant in Arab society, and Juha has certainly made a great contribution to its enrichment through his wit and intelligence."
The Director of the Arabian Heritage Centre, Aisha Rashid Al Hassan Al Shamsi, added: "Every community has its own Juha, and in this edition of the forum, we wanted to emphasise Juha's importance in popular heritage."
"The aim of the cafe is to document the heritage of these contemporary 'Johuu' characters and maintain them," continued Mani bu Naama, Director of Heritage Affairs at SIH. "We want to educate future generations on the significance of Arab folklore and help them to see its beauty." reporters@khaleejtimes.com