The Beauty Hunters - Adil Babikir

Named a Notable African Book of 2023 by Brittle Paper The Beauty Hunters offers a rare insight into Sudanese Bedouin poetry, its evolution, aesthetics, and impact. Through an in-depth profile of al-ḤÄrdallo, the doyen of this art form, Adil Babikir explores the attributes that established him as a poet of international stature. The life of al-ḤÄrdallo was a series of journeys in pursuit of beauty. From wandering across the Buá¹Äna wilderness to his adventures with women, he documented the ups and downs of his life using superb verse. In addition to its aesthetic value, al-ḤÄrdallo’s poetry offers rich material for Sudanese studies as it carries glimpses of the sociopolitical developments in Sudan during his lifetime, having lived through three distinct eras: Turco-Egyptian rule (1820–1885), Mahdist rule (1885–1898), and part of the Anglo-Egyptian era (1898–1956). Reading Bedouin poetry in a hybrid context, as a major contributor to what Babikir calls a uniquely Sudanese aesthetic taste, The Beauty Hunters makes an invaluable addition to the discourse on Sudan’s cultural identity.