Crypts, corridors & sycamore tales: Khazana School for Heritage workshop concludes - Heritage special
The rhymed story, based on oral legends from the districts of Manial and Roda, is the brainchild of published author and writer Mariam Abdel Aziz.
'It's an illustrated book—more of a story that is read, viewed, and heard because I also have it in a podcast,' Mariam told Ahram Online. 'It's a project that combines different art forms: there is Arabic calligraphy, illustrations by Israa Kamal, the writing, and the storytelling,' she added.
The book is one of several outcomes from last week's closing ceremony of the workshop titled Joy and Content: Narratives and Entertainment Heritage of Roda Island and Manial District, organized by Khazana School for Heritage in collaboration with the American University in Cairo's (AUC) Rare Books and Special Collections Library.
'I used to collaborate with Khazana in telling stories they collected from other districts, such as Fagalla, but this Manial experience—I lived it from the beginning. I learned how to collect oral information, what tangible and intangible heritage means, and how to interview people. We gathered so many stories, and among them were legends. The legends were the most inspiring to me,' she explained.
Mariam based her book on the legend of the Al-Mandoura tree—an ancient sycamore believed by some to be a source of fertility for barren women and by others to possess healing properties for the skin.
'The tree had its own guard, which is something very novel. His name is Am Khalifa. He's a legend himself—his origins and personal life remain unknown,' she added.
The rhymed story, written in the classical maqama style of Arabic literature, takes readers on a journey through urban legends doubting the existence of crypts and corridors in the Manial district. The plot flows swiftly through the multicultural layers of Manial and Roda, weaving together cultural figures, landmarks, Sufi walis, and the historic Nilometer.
Follow us on:
Short link:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
CairoScene
3 hours ago
- CairoScene
Youssef Wahbi: The Man Who Transformed Arabic Theatre & Cinema
He played the Devil, challenged shame, and made Arab cinema speak. On his birthday, we revisit Youssef Wahbi - the man who dared to redefine the rules of the screen and stage. Jul 14, 2025 Youssef Wahbi broke every mould - actor, director, and pioneer of Arabic cinema. On his birthday, we honour a legend who shaped generations of stage and screen. Wahbi's love for acting started when he first watched the Lebanese artist Salim Al-Qardahi's troupe in Sohag. Since then, he started delivering monologues and performing theatrical acts at Al Ahly Club and at school. But at the time, acting was seen as shameful, and his father disapproved. Refusing to bend, Wahby fled to Italy and studied acting under the Italian actor Cantoni. He didn't come back until after his father's death in 1921 and used all his inheritance to establish a theatrical troupe named Ramses, which was also the name given to him during his stay in Europe. In 1923, the troupe premiered with a successful play called 'Al Magnoun'. But Wahby wasn't done breaking ground. Later, in 1930, he established his film production company, Ramses Film, which produced the very first speaking film in the history of Arabic cinema, 'Awlad El Zawat'. The movie was adapted from one of his successful plays, as he wrote the script and starred in the film. Throughout his prolific career, Youssef Wahbi wrote, directed, or starred in over 300 theatrical plays and contributed to more than 60 films. Among this vast body of work, a few standout titles have become milestones in the history of Arabic drama and cinema... Awlad El Zawat (1932) 'Awlad El Zawat' tells the story of Hamdi, who marries a French woman only to discover she's cheating on him. In a powerful scene, he confronts her with the line: 'You woman of all men… you garbage of history.' In a rare interview, Youssef Wahbi revealed that he insisted on making 'Awlad El Zawat' as the first Arabic-speaking film to defend the image of the East, after Western narratives described the region as barbaric and trivial, particularly during the trial of a woman who had murdered an Egyptian young man. Safir Gohannam (1945) 'Safir Gohannam' follows Abd Elkhallak, a humble professor worn down by life's hardships and became a bitter and resentful man. His shaky faith opens the door for the Devil (played by Youssef Wahbi) to lead him astray, tempting him with a false paradise to ruin his life, destroy his children, and tear his family apart. The film marks the first-ever portrayal of the Devil in Egyptian cinema. Bayoumi Effendi (1949) 'Bayoumi Effendi' is considered one of Wahbi's most powerful socially driven films, tackling the issue of children born out of wedlock. The film calls for compassion toward these individuals, emphasising that they should not be treated as criminals for a sin they did not commit. Hayah Aw Mout (1954) 'Hayah Aw Mout' - one of the most famous films in Egyptian cinema - follows the story of a man who suffers a heart attack and sends his daughter to fetch his medicine, only for the pharmacist to realise he accidentally gave her poison. As the police, led by Wahbi's character, race to save him, a dramatic city-wide radio broadcast becomes his only hope. This is the film that gave us the famous line: "لا تشرب الدواء الذي أرسلت بنتك لشرائه...الدواء فيه سم قاتل." ('Do not drink the medicine your daughter was sent to fetch; the medicine contains deadly poison.') Esha'et Hob (1960) 'Esha'et Hob' is one of the most memorable comedy films in Egyptian cinema. Starring Omar El Sherif, Soad Hossny and Youssef Wahbi, it follows the story of Hussein, a shy young man in love with his cousin Samia, who prefers her charming cousin Lucy 'Ibn Tante Fakeeha'. To help him win her heart, Hussein's uncle Abdel Qader comes up with a clever plan: spread a rumour about a love story between Hussein and the famous actress Hind Rostom.
CairoScene
4 hours ago
- CairoScene
Egypt's Palma Opens Its First International Store in Casablanca
After years of local success, the beloved brand is expanding beyond Egypt. Jul 14, 2025 For many years, Egyptian brand Palma has been a fundamental ingredient in every Egyptian woman's closet (and her mum's). They're both fun - constantly coming out with more funky patterns and decorative embroidery styles that keep us hooked - and dependable. In its bio, Palma makes the claim that it is a North African woman, and now it has finally expanded its identity past the borders of Egypt, all the way to Morocco. To celebrate the opening of their first international branch, Palma brought their Egyptian-made collections, a fun DJ set, and boxes of classic Egyptian Al-Arousa tea to a cosy store in Casablanca. Naturally, people were bewitched (probably thanks to the tea). Palma might just be on their way to conquer the world - one patterned pair of pants at a time.
CairoScene
a day ago
- CairoScene
Egyptian Producer HatemBas Drops Multi-Genre Debut EP 'Wa2t'
Written while touring with rapper Marwan Moussa, Egyptian producer HatemBas's first EP blends indie-pop, hip-hop, and shaabi into an emotional study of time. Jul 13, 2025 With his debut EP, 'Wa2t', Cairo-based producer HatemBas rewires the clock. Known for his eclectic sound - built from hip-hop's postmodern textures, indie-pop lyricism, and the rhythmic grit of shaabi and maqsoum - HatemBas uses this project to establish his unique sonic identity. Written while touring with rapper Marwan Moussa, 'Wa2t' pushes beyond club-ready electronics. Across three immersive tracks, HatemBas fractures and reassembles time into layered soundscapes: ambient fragments, hypnotic drums, and intimate melodies unfold like emotional timestamps. The project blends afro rhythms with Arabic melodies in a way that's both grounded and otherworldly. Rather than treating time as a line, 'Wa2t' explores it as a feeling. Love, heartbreak, waiting, and repetition all collide in a surrealist sonic journey. The EP cover, a warped clock, captures this tension: time moves forward, but emotions fold in on themselves.
