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Were it simply a collection of fascinating, previously unpublished folktales, Speak, Bird, Speak Again: Palestinian Arab Folktales would merit praise and attention because of its cultural rather than political approach to Palestinian studies. But it is much more than this. By combining their respective expertise in English literature and anthropology, Ibrahim Muhawi and Sharif Kanaana bring to these tales an integral method of study that unites a sensitivity to language with a deep appreciation for culture. As native Palestinians, the authors are well-suited to their task. Over the course of several years they collected tales in the regions of the Galilee, Gaza, and the West Bank, determining which were the most widely known and appreciated and selecting the ones that best represented the Palestinian Arab folk narrative tradition. Great care has been taken with the translations to maintain the original flavor, humor, and cultural nuances of tales that are at once earthy and whimsical. The authors have also provided footnotes, an international typology, a comprehensive motif index, and a thorough analytic guide to parallel tales in the larger Arab tradition in folk narrative. Speak, Bird, Speak Again is an essential guide to Palestinian culture and a must for those who want to deepen their understanding of a troubled, enduring people.… (more)
User reviews
This was a fascinating book - a very effective and scholarly ethnographic folktale collection. From a purely cerebral perspective, I found it quite enjoyable, and felt that I learned something about (traditional) Palestinian culture. Unfortunately, I did not always enjoy the stories in their own right, which surprised me, as folklore is usually one of my favorite genres. But the frequency of violence directed against women in these stories - the beating of wives, in particular - and the casual acceptance of same, was quite disturbing, all the more so when one considers that these tales are regularly told to young children.
I appreciated the authors' points about the agency of women (ie: that they do not simply accept their fate passively), but I was somewhat skeptical of some of the ideas put forward about women's "power." I'm not sorry I read this collection, as I found it very informative, but I can't say it was especially enjoyable.