La Geste Hilalienne

“La Geste Hilalienne “, or the “Hilali Epic”, is told across the Arab world. Part of an oral tradition, it is often recited aloud and sometimes accompanied by music. The epic is divided into three parts. It tells the story of the Bedouin tribe Bani Hilal in the 10th century Arabian Peninsula, from its origins in Yemen and Saudi Arabia until its migration to North Africa.

In this work, Tunisian artist Brahim Dahak depicts daily desert life, and the growth of social and political structures in the tribe. The original poem includes different plots like love stories and rivalry. Characters featured include Abu Zaid al-Hilali, his acolyte Diab, and the princess Zazia. By turning an oral story into visual form, Dahak brings to life a shared Arab-Islamic history that links people and places across the Arab world.