Tayeb Salih facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Tayeb Salih
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| Born | 12 July 1929 Karmakol, Sudan |
| Died | 18 February 2009 (aged 79) London, United Kingdom |
| Occupation | Novelist, columnist, civil servant |
| Language | Modern Standard Arabic |
| Alma mater | University of Khartoum, University of London |
| Literary movement | Postcolonialism |
| Notable works | Season of Migration to the North, The Wedding of Zein |
Tayeb Salih (Arabic: الطيب صالح, romanized: aṭ-Ṭayyib Ṣāliḥ; born July 12, 1929 – died February 18, 2009) was a very important writer from Sudan. He worked as a journalist for the BBC Arabic program and for other Arabic magazines. He also worked for UNESCO, which is a part of the United Nations that promotes education, science, and culture.
Tayeb Salih is most famous for his novel Season of Migration to the North. Many people think this book is one of the most important novels in Arabic literature. His stories and novels have been translated into English and many other languages around the world.
Contents
Tayeb Salih's Life Story
Tayeb Salih was born in a small village called Karmakol in Sudan, near the Nile River. He first studied at the University of Khartoum in Sudan. After that, he moved to the United Kingdom to study at the University of London.
He grew up in a family of farmers and religious teachers. At first, he wanted to work in agriculture. However, he soon started working in journalism. He also helped with cultural exchange programs between different countries.
For over ten years, Salih wrote a weekly column for an Arabic newspaper in London called al Majalla. In these columns, he wrote about many different ideas in literature. He also worked for the BBC's Arabic Service. Later, he became the director of the Ministry of Information in Doha, Qatar. For the last ten years of his career, he worked at UNESCO in Paris. He held different jobs there and represented UNESCO in the Arab states of the Persian Gulf.
What Tayeb Salih Wrote About
Tayeb Salih's writing was greatly inspired by his childhood in a Sudanese village. His stories often focused on the lives of people in the countryside and their complicated relationships. He explored ideas like what is real and what is not. He also wrote about the differences between Western and Eastern cultures. His books often showed how people try to find a balance between different parts of their lives.
Many of the ideas in his books came from his experiences as a Muslim in Sudan during the 20th century. This was a time when Sudan was changing from being under colonial rule to being independent. Another common theme in his writing was the meeting of the Arab Muslim world and the Western European world.
His Most Famous Books
Season of Migration to the North
In 1966, Tayeb Salih published his most famous novel, Mawsim al-Hijrah ilâ al-Shimâl, known in English as Season of Migration to the North. This book was first published in a magazine in Beirut called Hiwâr.
The main idea of the novel is about how British colonialism and modern European ideas affected African villages. It especially looked at how these things changed Sudanese culture and identity. The story shows the challenges of modern Sudan and how the history of European colonialism shaped the country today.
The book is told by an unnamed person who has traveled a lot. He is an African man who returns to his Sudanese village after living abroad for many years. He had studied in England and written about an English poet. The main character, Mustafa Sa'eed, grew up during British colonial rule and was shaped by colonial education.
A Sudanese writer named Emad Blake said that Salih's book dealt with important issues of his time. These included the clash between Eastern and Western cultures. He also said Salih had a writing style that was "impossible easy."
The Arab Literary Academy in Damascus called Season of Migration to the North one of the best Arabic novels of the 20th century. However, when it was first published, it was banned in Sudan for several years. The novel was also turned into a play in Israel.
The Wedding of Zein
Urs' al-Zayn, published in English as The Wedding of Zein, is a shorter novel from 1966. It tells the story of Zein, who is a bit of an unusual person in his town. He is tall, looks a bit strange, and only has two teeth.
Zein was known for falling in love with girls who would then quickly marry other men. This happened so often that mothers would even try to get Zein to notice their daughters. They hoped that if Zein liked their daughter, it would make other young men interested in marrying her!
The Wedding of Zein was made into a play in Libya. A filmmaker from Kuwait, Khalid Siddiq, won an award at the Cannes Film Festival in the late 1970s for a film based on this story.
Tayeb Salih's translator, Denys Johnson-Davies, said that Salih used rich, formal Arabic for his stories. But for the conversations between characters, he used lively local dialects. This made his writing direct and easy to read.
Awards in Honor of Tayeb Salih
In 1998, some of Tayeb Salih's friends created a committee to honor him. They raised money for him, but he decided to use it to start an award for creative writing.
Since 2002, the al-Tayeb Salih Prize for Literary Creativity has been given out. This award is for new novels by Sudanese writers. It is given by the Abdel Karim Mirghani Cultural Center in Omdurman.
Since 2010, another award called the al-Tayeb Salih Award for Creative Writing has been given. This award honors excellent modern Arab writers in novels, short stories, and literary studies. A telecommunications company called Zain Sudan sponsors this award. Some people in Sudan have worried that this award might try to control the cultural scene there.
His Passing
Tayeb Salih passed away on February 18, 2009, in London. His body was brought back to Sudan and buried on February 20. Many important people, writers, and leaders attended his funeral. These included the Sudanese President at the time, Omar al-Bashir, and former Prime Minister Sadiq al-Mahdi.
Tribute
On July 12, 2017, Google Doodle honored Tayeb Salih on what would have been his 88th birthday.
See also
In Spanish: Tayeb Saleh para niños
- Sudanese literature
- List of Sudanese writers
- Modern Arabic literature
