About Me
Afeif Ismail: Worlds & Words
The experience of migration became central to his writing, transforming personal displacement into universal art. His work reflects a deep engagement with themes of diaspora, cultural hybridity, and the reimagining of identity through language and storytelling.
Afeif Ismail is an award-winning, multilingual Sudanese Australian writer whose voice bridges continents and cultures. An internationally published poet and playwright, his words have reached audiences around the world, with selections of his work translated into English, German, Spanish, and Swedish. His writing in Australia has earned national recognition, receiving multiple awards and nominations that celebrate his creative vision and contribution to contemporary literature. Through his work, Afeif continues to challenge boundaries and expand the possibilities of poetic expression, blending the lyrical with the political, the personal with the universal. His poetry is not only read but deeply felt, a living dialogue between languages, histories, and the human search for meaning and belonging.
The story of
Afeif Ismail
Born in Sudan, Afeif Ismail grew up immersed in the vibrant oral traditions and storytelling culture of his homeland. These early influences shaped his imagination and gave him a lifelong appreciation for the rhythm and power of language. From a young age, Afeif believed deeply in the ability of words to question, heal, and bring people together through shared understanding.
As political and social challenges unfolded in Sudan, Afeif was forced to leave his home and begin a new chapter in Australia. The experience of migration became a turning point in his life and art. What began as personal displacement evolved into a universal creative vision. In his writing, themes of belonging, identity, and transformation intertwine, capturing both the pain and beauty of the migrant experience.
In Australia, Afeif established himself as a distinctive literary voice. His poetry and short stories have been published in numerous journals and anthologies, earning recognition for their emotional honesty and cross-cultural resonance. His plays have been produced by The Blue Room Theatre, the World Fringe Festival WA, Barking Gecko Theatre, and several other platforms that celebrate innovative storytelling. His dramatic works often blend humor, memory, and social commentary, inviting audiences to see the world through the lens of empathy and imagination.
Afeif is also an accomplished writer in Arabic. His collections of essays, short stories, and poetry have received international critical acclaim and have been studied by scholars and readers across the Arabic-speaking world. Through both languages, he bridges cultures, transforming distance into dialogue and experience into art. Beyond his literary work, Afeif is an advocate for intercultural understanding and artistic collaboration. He often engages with community projects, workshops, and performances that promote creative expression as a path toward inclusion and social change. His body of work reflects not only the journey of an individual poet but also the shared human desire to find meaning and connection across borders.
Afeif Ismail continues to write, perform, and collaborate internationally. His voice remains one of resilience and vision, grounded in his Sudanese roots and enriched by the stories of migration, memory, and hope that define his artistic journey.
