My Land My Nile

The programme examines the novel’s use of storytelling as a critical method that questions archival authority and opens other ways of engaging with contested pasts.

Tracing the layered histories of the Nile – from early Nubian and Abyssinian formations to the political reconfigurations of 20th-century Sudan – the novel uses imaginative reconstruction not to recreate the past, but to explore the cultural and political forces that continue to shape identity. By reframing historical moments rather than reproducing them, it draws attention to what official narratives often obscure – the negotiations behind cultural continuity and the unresolved burden of lineage.

In conversation with writer and poet Enas Suleiman, the discussion explores the entanglements between grief, movement, heritage, and return. It positions the novel not only as a narrative, but as an inquiry into how identities are formed, reclaimed, and reimagined across shifting historical landscapes.

Dates: 13 December 2025

Time: 4 - 5:30PM

Venue: WH51, Common Room, Alserkal Arts Foundation (Location Pin)

Bio:

Maria (Zeinab) Abdelrahman is originally Nubian from the North of Sudan. She grew up between the Middle East and Europe. This diverse background gave her a broad perspective to draw from in storytelling. Her writing delves deeply into themes of identity, cultural displacement, and the sense of belonging. Maria’s artistic vision is shaped by her Nubian heritage and the diaspora, which she weaves intricately into her narratives.

Maria is also a screenplay writer, her first screenplay reached semi-finalist in international contests. When Maria is not writing, she works in mega-scale events as a producer. She currently lives in Dubai but often on the road working on different projects.

Enas Suleiman is a Sudanese poet and author of 'Tidal Waves', a short poetry journey of loss and nostalgia. Enas often writes about social injustice and the complexities of grief, love and loss. Her work has appeared in numerous publications and has performed on platforms across the UAE, Sudan and UK.