Women's folk poetry in Cyrenaica (Barqa): between expression and resistance

Abstract

This research explores women's folk poetry in the Cyrenaica (Barqa) region, illuminating its dual role as a medium for intimate emotional expression and a catalyst for social and political resistance against the Italian occupation. The study is structured into an introduction, three main chapters—examining the forms of emotional outpouring, the poetry of resistance and struggle, and the artistic characteristics of women's texts—and a conclusion. The findings reveal that the Cyrenaican woman masterfully adapted oral arts through "condensation and symbolism" to circumvent both societal constraints and colonial censorship. In doing so, she transformed her verses into a living historical document and a potent weapon of resistance, profoundly contributing to the preservation of oral memory and Libyan national identity.