Volume 9, Number 1, Spring 2022
Special Issue: "Let me tell you a story" - Anthropological Encounters with Narrative
Edited by Barbara Götsch and Monika Palmberger with contributions by Götsch, Palmberger, Kamal, and others.
pp. 72-90
Abstract
This article focuses on the importance of verbal art, especially proverbs, and its contribution to a more profound understanding of Yemeni society, particularly key historical figures such as ‘Alī bin Zāyid. The Yemeni scholar and poet ‘Abd Allāh al-Baraddūnī (1929–1999), who compiled a large corpus of folk sayings and proverbs over his lifetime, played a significant role in this regard. In particular, al-Baraddūnī scrutinizes the folk sayings and proverbs of ‘Alī bin Zāyid as a source of narratives. As highlighted by al-Baraddūnī, to obtain a more nuanced understanding of a society, it is crucial to look beyond the formal production of history and official literature. Proverbs are an important source here. They often derive from longer stories or refer to real events and provide local, culturally appropriate interpretations in highly condensed form. In turn, proverbs are often extended into longer narratives. The study of popular fables, songs, folk poems, and proverbs can provide an insight into local, culturally transmitted knowledge that is usually obscured, neglected, and undocumented.
Table of Contents
The Nexus of Anthropology and Narrative: Ethnographic Encounters with Storytelling Practices
Barbara Götsch, Monika Palmberger
pp. 1-22
Storied Answers to Questions about Interethnic Marriage in Multiethnic Qinghai Province, PR of China
Monika Kolodziej
pp. 23-45
Negotiating a Project Request: Narrative and Intersubjective Understanding at Work
Barbara Götsch
pp. 46-71
Noura Kamal
pp. 72-90
Monika Palmberger
pp. 91-108
Eerika Koskinen-Koivisto
pp. 109-128
Duygu Doğru
pp. 129-154