Beauty Hunters

<p><em>The Beauty Hunters</em> offers a rare insight into Sudanese Bedouin poetry its evolution aesthetics and impact. Through an in-depth profile of al-�����rdallo the doyen of this art form Adil Babikir explores the attributes that established him as a poet of international stature. The life of al-�����rdallo was a series of journeys in pursuit of beauty. From wandering across the Bu�����na wilderness to his adventures with women he documented the ups and downs of his life using superb verse. In addition to its aesthetic value al-�����rdallo's poetry offers rich material for Sudanese studies as it carries glimpses of the sociopolitical developments in Sudan during his lifetime having lived through three distinct eras: Turco-Egyptian rule (1820-1885) Mahdist rule (1885-1898) and part of the Anglo-Egyptian era (1898-1956). Reading Bedouin poetry in a hybrid context as a major contributor to what Babikir calls a uniquely Sudanese aesthetic taste <em>The Beauty Hunters</em> makes an invaluable addition to the discourse on Sudan's cultural identity.</p><p><br></p><p><strong>Adil Babikir</strong> is a translator and an Arabic content manager at Mubadala Investment Company in Abu Dhabi. He has translated and edited several works including <em>Modern Sudanese Poetry: An Anthology</em> (Nebraska 2019) and <em>Mansi: A Rare Man in His Own Way</em> by Tayeb Salih.</p>