الحكي النسائي مقاومة للنسيان : حفظ للذاكرة و كتابة للتاريخ

Abstract EN

In this article, I attempt to touch on «narration» (al-aki), as one of the skills historically associated with women in order to highlight its cultural and social role.

In addition, I question how it shifted from an authoritative source without value to a medium for rebuilding oral history and women’s history as modern research fields within the discipline of history.

Women and other marginalized social groups were not recognized and forgotten for centuries, and were rarely written about in the history books.

As subfields of modern history, oral history and women’s history are concerned with women’s cultural inheritance, their past and present experiences, and their contribution to the making of history and civilization, by listening to and giving women the right to speak and write.

This modern history has sought to understand, explain and clarify how women employ the art of narration to regain the right to speak and resist the prevalent forms of oppression, and consequently are able to preserve memory.

I present the testimonies of two women who chose to speak of their experiences in resisting poverty, illiteracy and male authority, and how they were able to save their dignity.

Their narration represents a shift in perception from the image of women as «victims» to «success stories».