Uncivilised by Noor Fadel
Uncivilized a poem by Noor Fadel
Uncivilised.
A word they placed over the weights we carried on our shoulders.
From the history our people had to face simply because we were believed to be
Uncivilised.
The word they used to compare us to monsters and our people to be savages.
We were labelled as oppressed and oppressors, the poison and dangers of society
So uncivilised.
We are viewed as selfish, and bad.
Used in all the stories in the media to implement fear in the eyes of anyone who may not know the truth.
Connected with labels and breaking news headlines “ yet another harm done in the world by the uncivilised” only ever recognized when blaming evil. For harm. Never the beauty and peace we carry in our hearts. .
The creators of the coffee you sip, you awakened your body with its dose of sabah al kheir. Two cream, two sugar, or straight black. and the soap you use to rinse off the dirt and hardships of yesterday.
Saboun cleaned your heart as well from the ideas you let the world make you believe bout us uncivilised.
In a world filled with misinformation and division, you took the label and made it our identity Forgetting all the wonders we have given to the world and to you.
The music in your ears, dancing around the senses in your body,
Your feet move to the sound of our
Uncivilised.
Um khaltoum, alf leila wa leila
fairouz , saalouny el nas
Abdel halim hafez ahwak
Nazem al ghazali, tal’a men bit abouha
Are they too uncivilised?
Are we? The ones who created algebra during times in the caveman century uncivilised?
Are we ? the ones who used miswak as a way to keep our mouths clean long before the toothbrush uncivilised.
Or the education you are in?
Ironic to consider the arab as uncivilised when the Arab himself created the university to teach the world about civilization.
There is a certain beauty about seeing the beauty in others. In a world filled with hate and pointing fingers, we point towards the people we know little about and blame all the wrongs in their name. What a shame
It is to believe we are uncivilised.
We are adab. The manners we give no matter how much or little you have.
We are sabr. The patience we hold in a world so quick to jump in labelling our identities.
We are khair. The blessings we wish for others and to ourselves. Generosity flows through our blood and veins.
And we are insan. A person. A group of people with different stories and journeys in life. Some of us have found our paths while others are still looking.
But no matter how similar you may compare us under one label, this identity and label is also what makes our lives that much more unique and different.
We are farmers,
We re teachers,
We are dancers and doctors
We are comedians, and we are preachers.
We are parts of civilization the world sometimes forgets, but a part we carry in our everyday life, through our families, friends, teachings and lessons.
We are generosity, we will feed you delicious foods till you can no longer eat
And then try to feed you again.
We are chai drinkers.
One drink we are strangers,
Two drinks, we become friends
And three drinks, we become family and all the little stories we shared between each sip becomes even more personal
We are mothers, caring and wishing nothing less but the best health and wellness for yourself
We are misunderstood, given labels which take away from the beauty of our people and culture.
We are all the things we want to be no matter what society may try to place on us.
We are the definition placed on us with no consideration of our rich history and impact in our society today. The inventors, mathematicians, philosophers and more.
The labels created to dehumanize us is the same label we use to define our power, our strength and our contributions as Arabs.
We are us. Authentic We are us. Diverse. We are us. important.
But Uncivilised That We are not
Noor Fadel is an Iraqi/Canadian award-winning educator, spoken word poet, and public speaker. A believer in the enormous opportunities that education and social advocacy provide, Noor inspires students, educators, and communities with her conviction that everyone has the right to “live unapologetically” and achieve their dreams. Drawing on personal experiences, Noor examines the role of race, culture, trauma, and mental health through student and racialized women's experiences in Canada. An impassioned and dynamic speaker, she incorporates creative elements into her work, such as spoken word poetry and audience collaboration.
You can connect with Noor on Twitter @poetrybynoor