I think people turn towards humor and satire in a society like ours because humor is one of the easiest and most efficient tools to penetrate the solid walls of entrenched customs and norms.
Hadil al-Mowafak is a non-resident fellow with the Sana’a Center, focused on peacebuilding, human rights, and environmental security. Following the outbreak of war in Yemen, Al-Mowafak joined Mwatana for Human Rights as a researcher, investigating war crimes and human rights violations. In 2016, she moved to the United States, where she graduated with a degree in Political Science from Stanford University. Over the years, Hadil has dedicated her career to activism and human rights, working as a researcher with organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Responsible Source Network, and the Yemeni Policy Center. Her unique use of comedic satire and witty sketches exposing the antics of Yemen’s warring parties have gained traction on social media amongst Yemeni and international audiences alike. The latest comedic sketch, Militia Makeover for Dummies: Houthis Edition, is a scathing critique of the group. Her work leaves no parties to the conflict untouched, however, and resonates with many Yemenis because of its plausibility. The underlying message conveyed is that there are no winners in this war and that Yemeni citizens ultimately bear the brunt of the belligerents’ incompetence.
In this edition of the Yemen Review, Al-Mowafak spoke with Sana’a Center Editor Lara Uhlenhaut about what spurred her to use comedy as a tool to critique the prevailing situation in Yemen:
Sana’a Center: Can you tell us about your journey into comedic satire? How did you start making these sketches, and what inspired you?
I made the first satire sketch shortly after the Covid-19 lockdown was imposed. I had just completed the last term in college and honestly was bored out of my mind with nothing else to do – I believe boredom is a good gateway to creativity. At the time, I was experimenting with a new format, videos, because I’ve always used satire in my written posts on social media when discussing political developments. As for my source of inspiration, the ridiculousness of political events in Yemen is one big inspirational source. In many cases, one only needs to hold a mirror for society to see the actual dark comedy performed by our political elites and sometimes by society itself.
SC: What was your very first sketch, and how was it received?
The first sketch was a news segment featuring three stories, conveying how morbid life has become in Yemen because of the war and political failures. For example, one story showed a wife concerned for the mental well-being of her husband because he dares to imagine a better life for them and still clings to hope, despite the fact he’s Yemeni and lives in Yemen. Another portrayed the large mosquito population in Aden as part of the Saudi-UAE-led coalition’s military response and how, like all previous interventions by the coalition, it has backfired in the face of Yemenis. The sketch was received with much support and enthusiasm. It was widely shared on Facebook, and to my surprise, even by those coming from conservative backgrounds who overlooked the fact that a Yemeni woman was not wearing the hijab – usually a focus of debate on Yemeni social media – and related more to the content of the sketch. I saw the response as very encouraging, and so I continued.
SC: You left Yemen in 2016. What was your own experience with the war in Yemen?
I had taken part in the uprising of 2011, and lived through the short-lived Yemeni renaissance in terms of the proliferation of art and the openings in political and civic spaces that followed the revolution, only to be completely stunned by the advent of war – a war was not on most Yemenis’ radars. When the war started, I don’t think I fully realized the extent of horrors we were going to see as Yemenis. It all unfolded very quickly, and when you’re in the midst of the action, you live through the events of war like you’re in a trance, never truly realizing this is a war and always believing it will end next week. I joined Mwatana in early April 2015 as a researcher, investigating war crimes and human rights violations. I was still a fresh high school graduate, then suddenly, here I was, talking to mothers, fathers, and other family members about the loss of their loved ones in the war or taking photographs of corpses of children – I don’t think I’ve fully reflected on my experience with the war even after having left Yemen.
SC: When you craft your sketches, are you thinking more of a Yemeni audience, an international one, or both? And what are you hoping to achieve?
This question is always present when I’m planning my sketches. For some issues, the choice of audience is clear. For example, if I’m doing a commentary or critique of a social or cultural issue that has no policy dimension, then I’d be targeting a Yemeni audience. But I grapple with which audience to target when there’s a policy question. Many of my sketches were influenced by my work as a policy researcher because I sought to convey the messaging and findings of my work through an easily consumable format, like comedy sketches. The average Yemeni will not read a policy debrief or a report, and to be honest, I doubt many policymakers do, so I turned toward other tools to spread political messaging. I would later find out from friends that they shared my videos within their professional circles, including ambassadors and other high-ranking actors working on Yemen.
The goal is to offer a reflective mirror through which decision-makers, including local and international actors, can see their failures in improving life for Yemenis, for example, by making fun of the way the international community has handled the peace process. When it comes to a Yemeni audience, I’m hoping to open a debate around a certain issue, offer a new perspective, or contribute to people’s agitation against political elites.
SC: Yemeni novelist and playwright Wajdi al-Ahdal said in an interview that “right now, it would be impossible to stage a theatrical performance that makes a mockery of the current war and its belligerents. But that’s precisely the kind of theater Yemen needs.” What role do you think comedic satire plays in Yemen? And how do you see the future of political satire given the current political climate in Yemen and the crackdown on activists?
Yemenis have a natural propensity to initiate and enjoy humor, even in their everyday lives. If you pay attention to Yemeni TV, you’ll notice that most series are of a comical nature. I think people turn towards humor and satire in a society like ours because humor is one of the easiest and most efficient tools to penetrate the solid walls of entrenched customs and norms. The more rigid and conservative a society or a political structure or ideology is, the greater the need becomes for forceful tools like satire to open up spaces for dialogue, especially when traditional avenues for such conversations are limited or closed.
From my own personal observations, I think people living in Yemen are still employing satire to discuss politics and life in Yemen, more so than serious writings, which can quickly put its authors in trouble. In general, however, the idea of theater as a medium of art is almost utopian in many areas in Yemen under the current political climate. I will say, however, that I’d love to see such theatrical productions taking place outside of Yemen, in places where there are large Yemeni diaspora communities. The ripple effect through these smaller communities could find its way back to greater Yemen, either through word of mouth or even live streaming services that would bring the theater to the homes of Yemenis in Yemen. One needs to be creative in the face of such difficult challenges, and funds going for such projects would be worth every penny.
SC: Have you personally faced any challenges or been subject to backlash for your work?
I believe the only time I received backlash, in a very limited scope, was when I released a video in which I made the distinction between Hashemites, people who come from families that claim descent from the Prophet Mohammed and who do not necessarily believe in Houthi ideology, and the Houthis, a militia espousing the ideology of the supremacy of the prophet’s lineage and its divine right to rule. I made that video as a response to the rise in hate speech and attacks against Yemenis with Hashemite last names, regardless of what they thought of the Houthis. The backlash came from a small core of people who identified strongly with Al-Aqial, a nascent Yemeni nationalist movement that opposes Houthi ideology, though some Yemeni intellects also took part in the critique, misconstruing my video as sympathizing with the Houthi project.
Aside from this, I’ve been lucky enough not to receive many attacks. Now and then, someone will comment on my appearance and why I’m not wearing the hijab – and rarely do I receive inappropriate comments. I did once stumble across one of my videos uploaded to YouTube by someone else – the video got over 2.5K comments, many of which were merely attacks on my morality and appearance, not much discussion of the content itself. It was a moment to be grateful for the comparatively limited reach of my videos on my socials.
SC: Are your family and friends supportive of your work?
My family is ‘mostly’ supportive of my videos, and when I say this, I‘m mostly thinking of my mum. Of course, there’s the occasional “you didn’t graduate from a top-notch university to be recording videos on YouTube.” That is not to say she doesn’t enjoy my videos, but I think she fails to see the potential of these new media formats in catalyzing change, as many others in her generation often do. There’s also the concern over my safety, again mostly coming from my mum, especially as I mock different political actors in and outside of Yemen. Other than that, the response from my family has been very supportive and encouraging.
I’m lucky to have two filmmakers/editors as my best friends. These are Hamza Shiban and Hanan Al-Surmi. They’ve always been supportive, and I find myself increasingly relying on them for artistic help with video production, especially in the last couple of videos I produced. I see this professional relationship evolving over time, and hopefully, there will be more collaborations in the future.
SC: Shortly after moving to California in 2016, you became a lead plaintiff in the American Civil Liberties Union’s lawsuit challenging President Trump’s travel ban (Al-Mowafak v. Trump). Has that experience in any way shaped your work?
I’d say that experience and the decision to be a lead plaintiff was shaped by my preceding engagement in the Yemeni youth revolution, but I wouldn’t necessarily say it had any influence over the trajectory of my work post-graduation. I see my satirical sketches as a continuation of my activism in and around Yemen, springing from a place of deep care and concern over the present and future of my country.
SC: You have carved yourself a niche in this genre. Do you see potential in other young Yemenis doing it, and what would your advice be?
Political satire is at least as old as ancient Greece, so I see young Yemenis adopting this genre, perhaps even in more novel forms. For folks inside Yemen, my advice would be to employ creativity as a mask for political messaging, as to not directly attack the de facto authorities in their area, but rather develop creative ways to refer to political events and actors implicitly. Regardless, they’d need to make an informed and conscious decision to pursue this type of activity, knowing what kind of and how much danger they’d be putting themselves under.
I also have one major piece of advice, one I could also benefit from, which is the importance of continuity and persistence in the success of any work. The production of any work on a regular basis is bound to help you build your name and brand, and eventually, a larger audience.
SC: Do you have a next sketch in mind, and would you tell us a bit about it?
I’m currently working on new sketches tackling the Houthis’ current avalanche of responses to the US attempt to block their revenues. I’m still planning the angle and targeted audience, but hopefully, they’ll be out soon.