Are you a Woman?

A Storytelling Performance in English & Arabic

Are you a Woman? is based on a translation by Dr Jana Matuszak of a newly discovered Sumerian poem from 2,000 BCE, in which two women hotly debate what it takes to be a ‘good’ woman.

A bilingual, English-Arabic performance by the Zipang Storytellers brings this ancient text back to life with a modern twist. Explore what it meant to be a woman in Iraq 4,000 years ago and find out how this ‘old world’ is actually not so far from ours. You will be surprised how sassy, fun and engaging ancient literature can be!

Translated from Sumerian by Dr Jana Matuszak

Script Editing and Performance by Zipang Storytellers June Peters, Badia Obaid and Fran Hazelton

Produced and Directed by Richard Wilding

Supported by the Institute of Classical Studies, London Centre for the Ancient Near East (LCANE), the Enheduanna Society, Eye on Heritage and Being Human Festival