Folk oral traditions and contemporary art serve as tools for cultural preservation

Cultural studies and contemporary art practices are increasingly focusing on the preservation and reinterpretation of oral heritage and folk narratives. In Libya, the study of folk oral art, specifically the khurrafa (folk tale), examines how these stories serve as a living intellectual structure that preserves collective memory and social values. Researchers are analyzing these narratives through symbolic, linguistic, and structural lenses to understand how they reflect societal transformations and help communities confront challenges like poverty and injustice.

In Palestine, multidisciplinary artist Noor Abed utilizes folktales, communal rituals, and traditional imagery to resist colonial representations. Working between Ramallah and Amsterdam, Abed’s film and performance work aligns with the concept of the ‘permission to narrate,’ seeking to produce original narratives that challenge singular interpretations of the Palestinian experience.