In this episode of the afikra podcast, we're joined by professor Khaled Mattawa, a celebrated poet, translator, and academic at the University of Michigan. With a rich background spanning continents, cultures, and languages, Mattawa shares his journey through poetry, translation, and his profound connection to Arab literary traditions. As the author of five books on poetry and a critical study of the iconic Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, Mattawa's contributions to literature have been recognized with awards such as the Academy of American Poets Fellowship prize, the PEN Award for Poetry in Translation, and a MacArthur Fellowship.
0:00 Introduction
1:04 Growing Up in Libya
7:20 Journey to America: Cultural and Literary Awakening
10:35 Academic Pursuits: From Economics to Poetry
13:09 The Lure of Arabic Poetry
16:40 The Art and Craft of Translation
23:36 Discovering and Redefining One's Voice
25:28 Insights into Khaled’s Poetic World
27:52 "Fugitive Atlas": Documenting Displacement and Hope
31:13 The Imperative to Respond through Poetry
33:57 Engaging With Libyan Artists and Audiences Today
37:07 Quick Q&A
40:36 Audience Q&A: Exploring Collective Memory in Poetry
42:02 Khaled’s Current Projects and Translations
43:14 Favorite Classic Arabic Poets
44:00 Conveying Unlived Experiences in Poetry
46:51 Evolution of the Libyan Art Scene Over the Decade
50:38 Reflections on "The Cyprus Broke" by Mahmoud Darwish
Khaled Mattawa is a Libyan-American poet and translator, whose evocative translations and original poetry bridge the cultural and linguistic divides between the Arab world and the West. His works are a testament to the power of poetry in transcending boundaries, fostering understanding, and exploring the complex interplay of identity, memory, and displacement.
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ABOUT AFIKRA
afikra | عفكرة is a movement to convert passive interest in the Arab world to active intellectual curiosity. We aim to collectively reframe the dominant narrative of the region by exploring the histories and cultures of the region – past, present and future – through conversations driven by curiosity.
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