Esquire columnist Abdullah AlKhorayef on the importance of telling your own story
Apparently, I’m a good storyteller, several people have told that—its a talent that I didn’t know I possessed. However, as I’m not the most confident person in the world, it’s only because people have told me that, I have actually decided to believe it myself. That’s the power of stories, they can help us gain confidence and make us believe in ourselves, but they also help us believe in the actual stories.
As Saudis one of the things that we have always somehow neglected—or perhaps didn’t give it the attention it deserves—is to tell our own stories, to own our narrative and our history.
That’s why it’s important to have publications like Esquire Saudi whose purpose is to empower Saudis to share our stories both within the Kingdom and to the outside world as well. I understand that sometimes it gets a bit repetitive (and exhausting) having to keep explaining ourselves and not our culture to an international audience, especially when it seems some of whom have already made up their mind to accept a preexisting perception of our land, however, that is precisely because we haven’t been in control of telling our stories. Someone else was and chose to tell a narrative all of their own.
I also understand that it’s very difficult to encapsulate thousands of years of Middle Eastern culture (and 1445 years of Islam), in a quick conversation over coffee with someone you’ve just met—or even in an hour-long lecture—it’s not enough. You’ll need a thousand times as much. Well, guess what? If we take inspiration from one of our most (if not the most) famous Arabic stories of all time—Arabian Nights (or as it’s known in the Arab world One Thousand and One Nights)—then maybe it can help us, help ourselves.
This complex compilation of stories reflects the reality of our culture. Showcasing layers of stories within stories, capturing both magic and adventure; as well as the convolutions and ironies of our people. There are stories about the rich and poor; the kind and wicked; of kings, queens, merchants, and thieves—all of which still reflect life today in a non-apologetic and fun way.
One of the best things that is happening in Saudi now is that we—as a government and people—are finally learning to tell our own stories, and it has lit a fire within us.
When you start telling a story with confidence, the beauty of the story shines through and even if the audience doesn’t agree with you, it doesn’t matter. If they like it, then great. If not, that’s also fine. Just like the Arabian Nights character, Scheherazade, whose nightly mission was to keep the king entertained just enough so that he would allow her to live for one more day, our mission isn’t to tell amazing, short stories every night, but rather build narrative of tales that culminate into a deeper, longer story.
Recently, I was in London when I saw an advert that I hadn’t expected. It was for Rijal Almaa, the southern Saudi mountain village. It seemed so out of place on the London Underground, but it was a perfect example of Saudi taking back control of its narrative. Maybe someone from London will see the advert and decide to visit the village, it’s there that they will best be able to share their own story.
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