Abdeen Al-Sayegh

عابدين الصايغ

Abdeen Al-Sayegh

Born in 1929, Abdeen Alsayegh is considered one of the few Kuwaitis who witnessed the shift from pre-oil Kuwait to modern Kuwait as an adult. He starts this rich interview with talking about his childhood at Alwasat neighborhood. His earliest childhood memory was of Alhadama year in 1934, which he describes in detail. He spends some time telling us about his early elementary education including going to almutawa’a and attending Almubarkiyya and Aljafariyya schools. While talking about his formative years and early adulthood, he tells us about food, cooking, and how they acquired fresh water in the 1930s and 40s. Alsayegh recalls Kuwait during World War II, and the situation of the Kuwaiti Jewish minority before and after. He also speaks about Christians in Kuwait up until the present day. A big portion of the interview is dedicated to the time he spent studying in Egypt and his many visits to Palestine. Upon coming back to Kuwait, he talks about his career and later continuing his education in Lebanon to become a lawyer. The last part of the interview focuses on the invasion of Kuwait and how he left in September to Cairo with his family. After the liberation of Kuwait in 1991, Alsayegh tells us about the destruction Kuwait suffered and the changes it went through. At the end of the interview, he shares with us what he is currently working on and his personal interests.