Ousha bint Khalifa Al Suwaidi
At a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Name in Arabic | عوشة بنت خليفة السويدي |
| Lived | 1920 to 2018; born in Al Ain, died in Dubai |
| Known as | Fatat Al Arab (Girl of the Arabs); earlier Fatat Al Khaleej |
| First collection | 1990, compiled by the poet Hamad bin Khalifa Bu Shehab; second edition 2000 |
Source: Ousha the Poet (Al Suwaidi Foundation): Biography; Ousha the Poet (Al Suwaidi Foundation): Biography (Arabic)1,2
Life
Ousha grew up in a family that loved poetry and learning, and apart from fifteen years in Qatar she lived mostly in Al Ain, moving to Dubai in the late 1980s. She began writing at about 12 and was recognised by poets for her recitals at 15, at a time when poetry was dominated by men.1,2
She named the classical poets Al Mutanabbi, Abu Tammam and Al Ma'arri and the Nabati poet Al Majidi bin Dhaher among her influences. Singers including Jaber Jassim, Ali bin Rogha and Mehad Hamad sang her poems.1,2
Recognition
- Fatat Al Arab, the title given by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, 1989
- Abu Dhabi Award
- Honoured at the 11th Sharjah Festival of Classic Poetry, 2010
- An annual award for Emirati women poets in her name, and a section of the Women's Museum in Dubai, 2011
- Abu Dhabi Festival Award, 2019
Source: Ousha the Poet (Al Suwaidi Foundation): Biography1
She stopped writing in the late 1990s and died in Dubai in July 2018, aged 98.1,2
Sources
- Ousha the Poet (Al Suwaidi Foundation): Biography
- Ousha the Poet (Al Suwaidi Foundation): Biography (Arabic)
Facts checked 22 October 2026. Prepared by Invest-Emirates.ae for general information.