Re-instating the Indigenous Ecology of Oman's Aflaj in Zahran Al Qasimi's Taghribat Al-Qafer or The Exile of the Water Diviner

Zahran Al Qasimi's novel Taghribat Al-Qafer or The Exile of the Water Diviner (2022) challenges global hegemonic narratives on environmental sustainability by reaffirming the Indigenous ecological knowledge embedded in Oman’s aflaj irrigation systems. Through a syncretic narrative blending tribal history with contemporary themes, the work exposes and preserves the social and environmental dimensions of aflaj practices, which have sustained Omani communities for centuries. The study argues that Al Qasimi’s narrative transcends functional sustainability, instead framing aflaj as a cornerstone of Omani identity, relational epistemologies, and posthuman ecologies rooted in interconnectedness, resilience ('survivance'), and regenerative hope. By mobilizing Indigenous environmental advocacy, the novel counters epistemic monopolization while weaving local cosmologies and ethics into a broader framework of place-based sustainability.

Atieh, M. (2025). Re-instating the Indigenous Ecology of Oman’s Aflaj in Zahran Al Qasimi’s Taghribat Al-Qafer or The Exile of the Water Diviner. Environment, Space, Place, 17(2), 145–166. https://doi.org/10.1353/spc.2025.a1000505