ḥakawātī

The term hakawati refers to a traditional Arabic storyteller. These storytellers were a significant part of Arabic-speaking countries until the advent of broadcast media. They would gather in public spaces, such as evenings outdoors or in cafes, to recite episodes from well-known Arabic sagas. These sagas often included the adventures of legendary figures like the poet-cavalier 'Antar, the tribal confederacy of the Banu Hilal, the warrior-princess Dhat al-Himmah, and 'Ali Zaybaq. While the public role of the hakawati has diminished, the collections of tales they performed remain a rich source of narrative tradition.1