Yaqub Sanu facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Yaqub Sanu
Born	January 9, 1839 Cairo, Egypt
Died	1912 Paris, France
Other names	James Sanua, Abu Naddara

Yaqub Sanu (also known as James Sanua or "Abu Naddara") was an important Egyptian writer and activist. He was born on January 9, 1839, and passed away in 1912. Sanu was a journalist, a playwright (someone who writes plays), and a strong supporter of Egyptian independence. He was also a polyglot, meaning he could speak and write in many languages. These included French, English, Turkish, Persian, Hebrew, Italian, and both literary and Egyptian Arabic.

Yaqub Sanu's Story

His Early Life and Education

Yaqub Sanu was born into an Egyptian Jewish family. His father worked for Prince Yaken, who was the grandson of Muhammad Ali Pasha, a powerful ruler of Egypt and Sudan.

When Yaqub was thirteen, he wrote an Arabic poem. He read it to the prince, who was very impressed by the young boy's talent. Because of this, the prince sent Sanu to study in Livorno, Italy, in 1853. There, he studied Arts and Literature.

Sanu returned to Egypt in 1855. He first worked as a tutor for the prince's children. Later, he became a teacher at the Arts and Crafts School in Cairo.

Journalism and Theater Work

Sanu became very active as a journalist in Egypt. He wrote in several languages, including Arabic and French. He also played a big part in developing Egyptian theater in the 1870s. He wrote his own plays in Arabic and adapted French plays for the Egyptian stage.

However, Sanu became most famous as a satirical journalist. He used humor and cartoons to criticize the government and the British who were involved in Egypt. In 1870, the Khedive (the ruler of Egypt), Isma'il Pasha, supported Sanu's theater company. This company performed plays in everyday Egyptian Arabic, often with themes about Egyptian pride.

But their relationship ended in 1876. Egypt faced financial problems, and the Khedive stopped his support. Sanu then openly mocked both the Khedive and the British rulers in his writings and cartoons. He drew them as clumsy and foolish. Sanu was the first journalist to write in Egyptian Arabic, which helped his work reach many people. His cartoons were easy to understand, even for those who couldn't read.

Exile and Continued Work

On March 21, 1877, Sanu started a funny magazine called Abu-Naddara Zarqa. It quickly became popular. However, the government saw it as too liberal and revolutionary. Sanu was soon forced to leave the country.

He went into exile in France on June 22, 1878. But being in France only made him work harder. His famous magazine continued to be published. It was copied by hand (lithographically) and printed in both Arabic and French. The magazine often changed its name, but a common one was Rehlat Abou Naddara Zar'a (Travels of the Man in the Blue Glasses from Egypt to Paris).

This was the first Arabic-language magazine to include cartoons. The captions for these cartoons were in both French and Arabic. It was also the first to use Egyptian Arabic, which is different from formal Literary Arabic.

The magazine was very popular in Egypt, even though it was banned. People would smuggle it inside other newspapers. It was read by many, even in the highest levels of Egyptian society. Each issue might have been printed in about 3,300 copies. The magazine focused on Egypt's political and money problems. Sanu likely got information from friends within the government. His magazine was well-known, even getting good reviews in London newspapers.

His Cartoons and Ideas

From 1882 onwards, Sanu drew cartoons that showed the British as "red locusts." These locusts were eating all of Egypt's wealth. Sometimes, he just called the British "the reds." This referred to the sunburned faces of British officials and soldiers in Egypt. Sanu made their faces look comically red in his drawings.

Sanu spoke French very well. The clever conversations he gave his cartoon characters were considered very funny in 19th-century France. He often showed British characters struggling to speak French correctly. Meanwhile, his Egyptian characters spoke perfect French. This was meant to show that the occupied Egyptians were culturally superior to their British occupiers. Like many educated Egyptians of his time, Sanu saw France as an ideal civilization for Egypt.

Sanu became a celebrity in France. When giving lectures or posing for photos, he would often change from Western clothes into a traditional Egyptian galabiyah and turban. He wanted to appear as an "exotic Oriental" to the French. He believed this would make them listen to him more seriously when he spoke for Egypt. Sanu was so famous that even a small fire in his Paris apartment was reported in major French newspapers. A French newspaper in 1895 said he was "such an in-demand conference presenter." Sanu kept track of every time his name was mentioned in the media.

Even though it was banned, Abu-Naddara Zarqa was a very popular underground newspaper. Sanu's cartoons were especially liked. Other cartoons showed "La Vieux Albion" (England) as an ugly old woman. Her son, John Bull, was always shown as a rude, drunken bully pushing Egyptians around.

Sanu's Egyptian nationalism meant he was loyal to Egypt as a country and a place. It wasn't based on ethnicity or religion. He presented Egypt as a welcoming place where Muslims, Christians, and Jews were all united by their love for their homeland. British officials claimed they occupied Egypt to protect Jewish and Christian minorities from the Muslim majority. But Sanu, an Egyptian Jew, disagreed. He said he didn't feel threatened by Muslims. In a speech in Paris, he stated, "The Koran is not a book of fanaticism, superstition or barbarity."

Sanu admired France greatly. He often praised France in his writings. One poem he wrote in French said: "We adore you, oh children of France — champions of liberty You inspire our confidence — with your historic loyalty If the French treat us like brothers — the brutal English treat us like dogs The one makes us happy and prosperous — the other, steals our goods The English pillage our fertile fields — taking away the fruits of our labor The French enrich our cities — civilize and educate us".

Sanu wanted to win French support. He criticized British actions in Egypt but never criticized French actions in Tunisia, Morocco, or Algeria. After France made an alliance with Russia in 1894, Sanu drew a cartoon titled "The Friends of Our Friends Are Our Friends." It showed an Egyptian, an Indian, and an Iranian cheering a French and a Russian sailor. A grumpy-looking John Bull watched them disapprovingly.

In 1961, an American historian named Irene Gendzier suggested that Sanu could be a symbol of peace between Arabs and Jews. This is because his first language was Arabic, and he was proud to be both an Egyptian and a Jew.