Kuwait Times

Published Date: January 31, 2009
By Munifah Akasha, Staff Writer

The Kuwaiti literary scene is dead, or, at least this applies to that scene which uses the English language as its medium. To the dismay of many, this prolonged death, stifles a cultural platform that infuses East and West, Arabic tradition juxtaposed against the breaking free from the shackles of conformity. It is a cultural platform that gives birth to a more complex being - a child of both worlds.

A Kuwaiti Anglophone author, born and embraced by the sands of the desert, Baqer received a Western education, attending the New English School. Her identity is a musky fusion of Arab traditions and Western independence. Her love for her craft led her to study English Literature in Kuwait University; however, the adversity of the locale was not able to quell her passion, or the writer within. She has been writing in English since the age of nine. More importantly, she courageously tackles the issues of the
Kuwaiti society and the role of the woman within this society. "A lot of people were surprised to know that I wear the hijab," she smiled, sitting in a café, a woman with a strong presence draped in a beautiful hijab.

Baqer's 'Tumultuous Lullaby' is a collection of poems that encompasses a large number of her poetry, with some that date back all the way to the 1980s. The poems exude various personas, as well as a personal commentary penned by Baqer, in which she gives her personal thoughts about the subject matter being dealt with. "I'm not detached from these personal thoughts," she stressed. "When I wrote the personal thoughts, I wrote about things that happened to me and about others that directly affected me, even t
hough they didn't happen to me. It affected me so much, it could have been me.

Baqer is bold and is not one to hide behind elusive words. Her writings are a loud expression of not only Arab women, but the female gender as a whole.
The Kuwait Times sat down with Naila Baqer and spoke to her about her new book and her past poetry collection, the public's reactions to her work and the issue of censorship in Kuwait.

KT: How did this book come to be?
Baqer: My friends. They kept nagging, "put them in a book, write a book, you're good, you're good." But I wrote these poems for myself, it was a personal process of catharsis for me. I was literally dragged to the publishing house. It was not with my consent. My friend did everything! She booked an appointment and spoke to the publisher and got me an interview with them.

KT: Have you written in Arabic before?
Baqer: My writing has never been in Arabic. It's always been in English.
KT: English is very prominent in Kuwait. However, Arabic is still the main language spoken and written, so how does it feel to be writing in English, when the audience requires Arabic?

Baqer: The problem is not the language that you are writing with. The problem is the ideas that you are conveying. I never perceived language as a barrier. It was always the thoughts behind it. When you go to a private school, it's not only the language you're taking; you are taking the culture, the way of thought. It changes you as a person, I encountered that way before publishing my book in my daily life. The language can be a barrier when you try to sell the book and how good it sells. Although there a
re a lot of English speakers, not many people in Kuwait read in English. Very few read in English. I was advised to publish my book abroad in order to be able to sell. For my second book, which I am working on now, I'm thinking to not publish in Kuwait and publish abroad.
KT: Why did you choose English as your medium?

Baqer: Because I dream in English. I think in English, so what better language to use?

KT: What about censorship in Kuwait? Did you face any problems?
Baqer: Eight months after I published my book it was taken off the shelves. I have no idea why. Apparently some of the book's contents were considered "against Islam," "against Arabs." I told them that the book had already gone the proper channels and it did. I think the main reason is that it was because it was written in English. Another funny story happened. I had the radio on 99.7 and they promoting my book as a children's book. Because the title contained the word 'lullaby', everybody thought it was f
or children. This is definitely a book for children; it's not a book for adolescents either.

KT: How would you describe the persona in 'Tumultuous Lullaby'?
Baqer: Because it is a persona, I take other people's experiences. Everybody's experience is different. It's not one persona, but you can say that as a collective, it is the persona of a Kuwaiti woman.

KT: How are you influenced by? And how do they influence you?
Baqer: Sylvia Plath definitely. Ted Hughes, her husband. I don't really like the classics. I like Plath's surrealism. Ted Hughes is just complicated, especially his later work. His earlier period was very violent and harsh, I didn't like that period. And, I like E.E. Cumming's simplicity, and yet it has so much depth and meaning. To be able to combine simplicity of language and yet produce deep meaning, I'm always in awe of that.

KT: Have you written short stories or novels?
Baqer: Yes. The next book is going to be short stories and poetry. No personal thoughts there.

KT: Why do local Anglophone authors prefer to publish abroad and not in Kuwait?
Baqer: Because there is no audience. Not at all.
KT: What are your views on Kuwaiti authors who publish online - often times anonymously?

Baqer: They are anonymous; I don't know who they really are. First of all they have to have courage. I took a lot of criticism. Sometimes this criticism is very personal, even from family, because here, I hate to say it, it's a hypocritical society. Even if everybody thinks a certain way, you have to pay the price if you choose to voice it.

KT: Do you think you faced problems because you were a woman?
Baqer: Definitely. Definitely. I talk about the issue of women a lot. However, I have changed my approach. I've learnt my lesson, if I'm going to publish anything, I won't make it so straightforward. You need to be able to master the language in a way in which you can send the same message but be creative enough to mask it. It's walking a very tight rope. You need a lot of courage. Yet, I'm not saying that my second book is going to be less controversial!