Touria Majdouline

(Morocco, 1960)

Biography

Touria Majdouline was born in 1960 in Settat, and is currently a teacher of Arabic in Oujda, Morocco, where she lives.

One cannot approach modern Moroccan poetry without mentioning Touria Majdouline. She has succeeded in carving out a poetic space entirely her own in the cultural scene of Morocco. The peculiarity of her poetry resides in its unpretentious style, which thrives on simple but skillful representations of reality. Her tone is quiet and discreet, but hides a remarkable bravery and boldness underneath.

The speakers in her poems display a certain weariness of being, that is reminiscent in some ways of the poetry of reclusive American poet Emily Dickinson – although Majdouline’s attitude to social life is very different. She is a highly active social co-worker, and president of the important Albadil Alijtimai association (‘the social alternative’), which promotes the integration of children and young people into Morocco’s social and cultural milieu. She is also a member of the union of Moroccan writers, the House of Poetry in Morocco, and a founding member of the UNESCO association for creative women of the Mediterranean.

Bibliography
Leaves of Ash. The Union of Moroccan Writers Publications, Rabat 1990.
The Weary. Dar al Jusoor, Oujda, 2000.