Veiled Sentiments

In “The Poetry of Personal Life,” Abu-Lughod turns from Bedouin ideology to the way it shapes Bedouin personal life. Poetry, “that vital and highly valued expressive form” (171)in Awlad ‘Ali communities, is the vehicle by which she will explore that personal life. She feels that the ghinnāwa, or poems about personal life, are the most expressive and relevant category of Bedouin poetry.

Although Abu-Lughod rarely captured recordings of any events in the village other than weddings, due to skepticism about her recording machine, she describes a “frequently requested” recording of two women singing back and forth, “responding to each other’s songs in turn” (172), while they sew a tent together. In the recording, the women exchange sadness and comfort, eventually finishing with an exhortation to avoid bringing up past loves. When Abu-Lughod replays this video for women in the village, they often grow sad or cry.

Awlad ‘Ali women appreciated the reciprocal, conversational mode of this poetry because “improvisational talent and ability to play with linguistic forms are highly valued in Bedouin culture” (173). But part of the beauty of these ghinnāwa are also their delivery: whether “mournful” or “beautiful” (173), both women’s voices captivated their audiences. Abu-Lughod suggests that the listeners are moved because they know the unfortunate circumstances of the sad woman’s life.