HOUDA K. Al-Naamani
Houda was raised in
her grandfather's mansion where she led a warm and prosperous childhood,
exposed to a prestigious Sufi and theological heritage. The Gazzis were
landowners, politicians Intermarried
Thus Houda, Artistic
and gentle, she often withdrew to a spacious inner dream world life though
she was swept up in the political excitement of the day. Vividly from the
age of six, she was often seated on a platform to deliver poetry,
welcoming the visit of political notables and heads of states. Yet her
love for literature and art grew excessively intense years.
She spent her primary
and secondary years in the Lycee-Francais and the Franciscan`s School.
Shortly thereafter,Education was nationalized and French school were
closed. Houda received her baccalaureate from the Tajhiz where Houda had
the chance to strengthen and vitalize her knowledge and love for Arabic
Language and Culture.
In 1947, following
family tradition,Houda joined the Law School at the Syrian University and
upon graduation joined, as a court attorney, the firm of her uncle, Said
El-Gazzi, head of Parliament then Prime Minister during the regime of
Shukri Al-Quwatli.
In 1952 Houda declined
a grant from Stanford University, married her cousin A.K. Naamani, and
flew with him to Cairo where he was Dean of Faculty at the American
University there.
In Cairo at AUC, Houda
came into contact with the elaborated Egyptian and American social
life.After concerning herself with campus life, with traveling, Houda
joined the School of Oriental studies as a regular student, were she
studied humanities and Islamic arts.Yet she was unable to effectively
reconcile amongst her writing, artistic interests,and family duties,until
she returned to settle in Beirut in 1968, where her two sons reached high
school age.
In Beirut, Houda wrote
prodigiously, decorated her own books. Houda`s voice emerged different.
Mysticism was the heartbeat of all her poems, later of all her paintings
too. She was described as fresh visionary, her style with a blend of
satire and rebellion. She mixed her veneration for tradition with a sharp
and inventive modern style.
Houda K. Al-Naamani born in Damascus
the 2nd of June 1930. A year earlier the Naamanis, a prominent
family in Beirut, were hit by the 1929 world`s financial crash. Convinced
by her mother, Salwa El-Gazzi, her father, Fouad Al-Naamani moved to
Damascus to join her family. There his health deteriorated and he died at
the age of 42, when Houda was only eight.
through centuries with the Nabulsis, who also have
set a long line of scholars
and grand mystics, related to the Prophet Mohammed himself.
To you (1970), Dar el Nahar.
A moving celebration of
divine love in a synthesized analysis of dogmas and essence of
creation.
My fingers… Not (1971). Free
publication .
A daring voice of refusal
and defiance, also a promise of rebirth through poetry and
philosophy.
Love Poem (1973). Dar el Nahar.
Houda’s mystical experience
with her consistent urge of its celebration and aims.
I Remember I was a Point I
Was A Circle (1978) Dar el Nahar.
Major long poem about the
Lebanese war. Twelve songs defining the historical derivations towards universal
peace and wisdom.
Tumbling on the Snow (1982). Dar el Nahar.
Human passions
empathizing the modern readjustment and
equality between sexes in
joyful short poems.(calligraphy-by
Salah el Shami}
Vision on a thrown 1989-
“Moassasseh
al-Arabia” - a play alternating 4
voices and an echo, representing the sectarian fights in Lebanon on earth,
followed by their ascendance into Heaven calling for a rebirth in love, and in
the ultimate unity of one god. {calligraphy-by Moktar el Baba}
Houda I am thy Lord (1991)
Dar Houda Al-Naamani
The main religious
achievement of the poet, confessing the reception of a divine call, building a
song through time and myth, leading to a dialogue between Ishaa’{wife of
Zaquaria} with all the Prophets, comparing their suffering to the suffering of
Lebanon, chanting immortality as the true salvation.
Cassette: poetry with music
(1991) Dar Houda al Naamani)
side “A” reading from the introduction of “Vision on a
thrown”.
Side “B” “Love is a sword
man” .Love poem - Infusion of
mystical dilemma and earthly barriers.
I Was a Point I Was a circle
(1993) Three Continents Press
The elegiac Ode published in
1978 in Arabic.
Texts translated by the
author and Rev. Solomon I Sara (George Town University)
Kitab el Wajd Wal Tawajod
(1998) Dar Houda al Naamani
Dialogue with God in fourteen chapters describing and questioning the
divine relation with the creator, also a trial of unveiling the keys of time and
fate, the spiritual mysteries of the absolute realities, with an introduction
resuming the luster of dreams and
miracules.
Many lips you have Shepherd,
many hands( 2001) Dar Houda al Naamani
A modern representation of
Song of Songs- A play-ending the impossible love by the suicide of the two
lovers.
A member of the Arab Writers
Union and Lebanese Union, she contributed regularly mainly to Al Nahar daily
Magazine, established in 1989 a publishing House in her name. Her three last
books appeared in a luxurious production.
Beside these publications
Houda’s daring avant-garde style compelled its presence in poetry journals
throughout the Arab World also merged after 1985 when she left Beirut into
another media which is painting.
Though through the Lebanese
war Houda remained in her home at the green line for eleven years, bearing the
civil war plus the Israeli invasion and retreat, she left the aria only in 1985
only when the area was declared officially a military zone. She moved to London
and Washington to join her 2 sons, stationed there for five years, and
alternately between London and Washington from 1985 to 1992
she presented herself as a
painter in private and collective exhibitions:
Vision - Argile Galerie London 1989
Dream - Argile Gallery
London 1990
Diaspora Gallery Strassi Washington 1991
A look on Arab Art - patronage of the Arab League 1992
As such in 1990 when the
green line in Beirut was freed, Houda was the first person to return settle back
facing a city rising from war devastation and disaster.
She has been translated and
anthologized by Elizabeth Fernea (Texas University), Salma Khadra al Jayyusi
(Columbia University), Miriam Cooke (Cambridge University and Duke University),
Rev Solomon I. Sarah (George Town University)Rev.Robert Campbell (Oxford and
St.Joseph University )Elise Salem Manganaro (Dickinson University)and others
.
In Beirut she
presented:
Third private exhibition-
Gallery Agial “Lightning” 1992
.
Forth private Exhibition
“A Ray of light A
Forest” 1994.
Patronage of Bahia El Hariri
-The glass hall -Ministry of Tourism
Fifth private
Exhibition American Embassy -USIS- Damascus.
with a seminar on women rights directed by Dr.Miriam
Cook.
Sixth private Exhibition
“ Alam el Founoun”1998
“Al wajd
and Tawajod” Patronage of Nazik el
Hariri.
Seventh private Exhibition”
Al Rahina “Unesco Palace”
. Patronage of Ministry of
Culture.
Seventh private Exhibition at the publication and celebration of her
dramatic poem “Shepherd many lips
you have many hands” by Al Inaya Cultural committee presided by Hassana
Daouk.
Abroad Naamani joined the
Poetry Society and Byron Society in
London, also the Library of International Woman artists in Washington. Her voice
was registered as the first Arab poet at the Library of
Congress.
Her writing and
painting persisted not only on the
description of human suffering, but on the meaning of time and eternity,
inferring that peace is attained
through justice, contentment is reached through innocence and love, but
ultimate happiness is found only in immersion and infusion with god (fana`)
Naamani is
actively living now in Beirut, taking
part in its academic and artistic programs. She has been translated
lately to French by Clara Murner and Roula Naboulsi, anthologized by Prof
Christian Leshon, to Urdu by Zouhair Ashraf Gamal and Prof. Qaisrah M.Alwi.
Her eldest son Dr. Bassam
has been appointed in 1999 Ambassador to Pakistan, then in the year 2ooo to the kingdom of Seoudi
Arabia . Houda joining him in these two countries said that both gates of the
Arab Penunsula and the Far East opened luckily for her.
Her second son Anis is
Deputy General Manager of Seoudi Lebanese Bank and is stationed in Beirut. He is married to Nahed el
Zein economic researcher in the Arab Chamber of Commerce. Has two young
daughters Leila and Houda.
Houda’s Poetry and painting
will be available through the internet, with the hope of a new era of
understating throughout the world.
1/10/2000
