From the Sands of Time to the Screens of Today: Modernized Arab Folktales
Have you heard of the story of the
The fox, the lion, and the wolf?
Or the story of the strict sheikh?
Or the story of the man who was never satisfied?
All these stories have shaped Arab culture - they are part of our folktales. They are the arab versions of stories like “the boy who cried wolf” or “Hansel and Gretel” or “cinderella.”
Folktales and fairytales have been an important part of Arab culture for centuries. They have been passed down from generation to generation, told orally, and written down in books. These stories are not only entertaining but also serve as a means of teaching important moral lessons, preserving cultural traditions, and promoting a sense of community. However, in today's fast-paced world, the tradition of storytelling is slowly fading away.
During this month’s Lights, Camera, Learn session in Dubai with GEMS world Academy students, we discussed why it is important to modernize Arab folktales, to make them more accessible to modern audiences. These superstars read and analyzed over 20 Arab folktales and decided their messages were powerful, and worth keeping around. However, their structures are unlike the stories we are so used to. They do not have happy endings, and they are not at all like the Disney movies we know and love.
Traditional folktales can be difficult for modern readers to relate to - they often personify animals, for example, and they never mention iphones . They often contain outdated language and cultural references that may be difficult for contemporary readers to understand. By modernizing these stories, and turning them into short films, we can make them more accessible to a wider audience, including children and young adults. This can help to ensure that these stories continue to be passed down.
So, they decided to make the first ever English version of these tales - but it wasn’t enough to simply translate them. These stars, ages 10-16, understand why it is important to preserve Arab folktales through digital storytelling to ensure that future generations continue to appreciate the rich cultural heritage of the Arab world. So, in the span of one week they wrote scripts, drew storyboards, took out their powerful cameras (their phones), filmed themselves, and edited these one-of-a-kind stories.
And now, for the first time in history, you can watch these old tales, told in a completely new way, on youtube.