Beyond the Paradigm: Nabaṭī Poetry of Hail and the Creation of Vernacular Identity in North-Central Arabia

Abstract

This study re-evaluates the cultural landscape of Hail Province in Saudi Arabia by positioning Nabaṭī poetry not as a peripheral vernacular but as a primary conduit of regional identity. While academic discourse has historically privileged fus’há (Classical Arabic), this research challenges that hierarchy, asserting the oral traditions of Hail as a dynamic force that both archives and animates the North-Central Arabian spirit. By interrogating a representative corpus—including the historical legacies of Ibn Rashid and other contemporary voices—the study explores how verse functions as one of the vital vessels for Hail’s distinct heritage. Through a rigorous qualitative lens involving thematic analysis and sociohistorical contextualization, the research decodes how these texts immortalize tribal valor, map the physical landscape, and enforce the social codes of the region. The findings reveal that Nabaṭī poetry is a sophisticated instrument contributing to cultural endurance. Beyond mere artistic expression, it utilizes mechanisms of alienation effect, covert prestige, and the codification of values to safeguard Hail’s unique identity against the tides of linguistic and cultural homogenization.