Khaled Juma
Poet, Children’s Books Author, Playwright
His Life
Born in Rafah, on October 25, 1965, Khaled Juma was raised in Al-Shaboura Palestinian Refugee Camp, in the Gaza Strip. He is currently Head of the Cultural Department in Palestine News and Information Agency (WAFA), and was previously Editor-in-Chief of Roya Magazine for seven years. He has a vast portfolio of over 29 publications in a variety of genres; poetry, prose poetry, short stories, children’s stories, TV sketches, plays and over 100 songs.[1]
His Works
So far, Khaled Juma has published nine poetry collections; Nothing Walks in this Dream, 2015, So the Gypsie Wouldn’t Love You, 2012, As Horses Alter, 2011, Such Is the Habit of Cities, 2009, You Still Resemble Yourself, 2004, Therefore, 2000, Irrelevant Texts, 1999, Thus, The Khalife Begins, 1996, Rafah; Alphabet, Distance and Memory, a joint production with Othman Hussein, 1992.
Khaled Juma’s children’s books have a distinguished content, that is both inspiring and constructive, put in a fun engaging narration that both adults and children enjoy. Examples include: The Rabbit Who Did Not Like His Name treating the issue of self acceptance despite others’ judgement, Sheep Do Not Eat Cats tackling the issue of bias, Diaries of a Germ promoting cleanliness and hygiene and Black Ear, Blonde Ear promoting tolerance and accepting others.
Khaled Juma has written and adapted a number of theatrical plays, like Play Away and Shaifinkous directed by Ibrahim Muzayyan, Out of the Picture Directed by Philippe Dumola, Gaza, Your Sea, a dance musical which was the opening for The First Sea Festival, and a musical based off Kalila Wa Dimna’s The Pigeon, The Fox and The Heron, composed by Moneim Adwan and performed in Aix en Provence Festival, France.
He has also written over 100 songs in both classic Arabic and Palestinian dialect, composed by important palesinian musicians such as Said Murad, Moneim Adwan, Odeh Turjman and his lifetime friend Mahmoud Al-Abbadi, and were performed by several Palestinian singers, such as Reem Talhami, Moneim Adwan, Mohammad Assaf and Mahmoud Al-Abbadi and Odeh Turjman.
Khaled Juma does not stop at authoring different genres of literature. He has founded a folklore dance group in Gaza, he documents significant parts of Palestinian life and history and has pertinent and concept changing works on the lives of people during the war, in addition to conducting creative writing workshops for children and adults. He has published a number of researches on Palestinian history, and has written a large number of articles covering the latest war against Gaza. Some of his works were translated and published in several languages including English, French, Spanish, Bulgarian and Portuguese.
Khaled Juma is currently living in Ramallah.
Bibliography[2]
Poetry
1. Nothing Walks in this Dream, Al-Ahliya for Publishing, Jordan, 2015
2. So the Gypsie Wouldn’t Love You, Fikr for Research and Publishing, Beirut, 2012
3. As Horses Alter, Fadaat for Publishing, Jordan,1st Ed. 2011, 2nd Ed. 2013
4. Such Is the Habit of Cities, Gaza 2009
5. You Still Resemble Yourself, Gaza 2004
6. Therefore, Sharqiat Publishing, Cairo, 2000
7. Irrelevant Texts, Palestinian MoC, 1999
8. Thus, The Khalife Begins, Palestinian Writers Union, 1996
9. Rafah; Distannce and Memory, with Othman Hussein 1992
Children’s Stories
1. Mariam the Dumb, Al-Ahliya for Publishing, Jordan, 2016.[3]
2. Diaries of an Elementary School Boy, Tamer Institute for Social Education, Ramallah, 2015
3. The Rabbit Who Didn’t Like His Name, Qattan Foundation, Gaza, 2012
4. Three Legs, Qattan Foundation, Gaza, 2012 (Won 2nd Prize in Diwan Al-Arab Competition 2006)[4]
5. Naseh Wa Simsim, 5 Children’s Stories in German, Afroasian Institute, Arab Women’s League, Vienna, Austria 2010
6. The Magic Iron, Tamer Institute for Social Education, 1st Ed. Ramallah 2009, 2nd Ed. Gaza 2010
7. Zamzouma Leaves the House, Agains Hunger Project, Gaza, 2007
8. Kaiouse at a Press Conference, Tamer Institute, GTZ, Gaza 2007
9. The Distant City, Tamer Institute, GTZ, Gaza 2007
10. Sheep Don’t Eat Cats, Tamer Institute, UNESCO, 2006 (was listed on IPPY’s honor list as one of the world’s best 59 children’s stories 2008-2010)
11. Balck Ear, Blone Ear, Tamer Institute (in Arabic and English), Ramallah 2002
12. The Story of Two Cubs, (in Arabic and English), UNRWA, Ramallah, 2001
13. Tears of The Yellow Colour, (in Arabic and English), Ramallah, 2001
14. The Context, (in Arabic and English), UNRWA, Ramallah, 2001
15. The Party, Save the Children, Gaza, 2000
16. Tales of the Forest, Kalilah Wa Dimnah For Children, Tamer Institute, Ramallah, 2000
17. Alphabet Village, Series of 5 Stories, UNDP, 2000 (The Flower Story of this series was made into an animation produced by Al-Quds Educational TV)
18. The Sad Pipe, Save the Children, 1999
19. Excerpts of a Germ’s Diary, Dutch Project, Gaza Municipality, Gaza 1992
Songs Lyrics and Musicals
1. I Love the World Album, Odeh Turjman, May 2013
2. The Night Carries Me, Reem Talhami, Said Murad, April 2013
3. The Turned Off Sun, Mahmoud Al-Abbadi (Musical for Children), 2004
4. Six songs in Just a Bit Album, Suheil Khouri, 2003
5. Four songs in “Rain” musical album, along with other writers. (Two songs were selected for the 1st grade curriculum).
6. The Pigeon, The Fox and The Heron, Muneim Odwan, Aix en Provence
Theater Plays and other Adaptations
1. Play Away, Directed by Ibrahim Muzayyan, 2005
2. Shaifinkoush, Directed by Ibrahim Muzayyan, 2006
3. Shater Mush Hassan, Directed by Jamal Abul Qumsan, 2003
4. Out of the Picture, Directed by Philippe Dumola, 2002
5. Gaza, Your Sea, Dance-Musical, Opening of The First Sea Festival 1995
6. Several other adaptations of international plays performed on Gaza Theatres
7. Lyrics to opening song and 30 Sketched of Amm Jbara Series broadcast on Palestine TV 2005.[5]
8. A number of his works were translated to English, French, Spanish, German Bulgarian and Dutch.[6]
References
- ↑ "موقع الشاعر خالد جمعة". khaledjuma.net. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
- ↑ "خالد جمعة". Goodreads. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
- ↑ "الشاعر خالد جمعة يصدر رواية". وكالة الأنباء والمعلومات الفلسطينية - وفا. Retrieved 2016-06-01.
- ↑ "أذن سمراء ... أذن شقراء = Black ear ... blonde ear - About This Book". www.childrenslibrary.org. Retrieved 2016-05-29.
- ↑ khaled juma (2012-09-13), تتر مسلسل عم جبارة, retrieved 2016-05-29
- ↑ "Khaled Juma - Khaled Juma Poems - Poem Hunter". www.poemhunter.com. Retrieved 2016-05-29.