Sufian Massalema

poet, slammer, and performer

Sufian Massalema (* 1999) is a Czech poet, slammer, and performer with Syrian roots. He was born in Jablonec nad Nisou. In his work he combines his experience of growing up in the Czech borderlands with themes of identity, faith, and the search for home. His poems span the Jizera Mountains, Prague, and the Middle East, exploring how the identity of a person growing up amid different cultures is shaped. His writing has been awarded by the Vladimír Vokolek Literary Prize and the Hořovice of Václav Hrabě Literary Competition. His debut collection, Možnosti přehlíženého (The Possibilities of the Overlooked, 2024), was nominated for the Jiří Orten Award.