Samawa truck driver finds YouTube fame with Bedouin stories from the road

SAMAWA — Jassim Jawda, a truck driver in his late forties from Samawa, has gained wide attention on Iraqi YouTube for humorous stories rooted in Bedouin heritage and memories from the 1980s and 1990s, often recounting them while driving his trailer across the country.

Appearing in live broadcasts and animated videos, Jawda narrates stories as he drives along the international highway linking southern and northern Iraq. Many draw on his experiences traveling to Saudi Arabia in the late 1980s, producing tales of romance, misunderstandings and encounters with authorities.

“I have been in this field for two years. I started in 2024, but before that I tried writing poetry, then I left that hobby and turned to writing stories,” Jawda told 964media.

“The stories at the beginning were situations that happened to me personally. After that I began listening carefully to what I hear from people’s experiences, then I compose based on that and arrange it.”

Jawda said his popularity grew quickly. “When I am in the street, in shops or in offices, I notice the warm reception from people and their affection. Some even call me in the street and ask for a new story. This encouragement from followers and people pushed me to continue.”

His stories were later adapted into animated clips by a young artist he met through social media. “At first he published the first clip without asking my permission, then later he contacted me and apologized and asked for my approval,” Jawda said. “I told him if this is a source of livelihood for him and he benefits from it, then go ahead. He said he wanted to give me compensation, but I refused.”

Balancing content creation with his job, Jawda said ideas often come while driving. “I am not free because I am busy driving the trailer. Often I accomplish that during my work, especially when I am on the highway. I keep thinking about the story, then I write down the ideas so I do not forget them.”

Among his best-known stories is one about being detained in Saudi Arabia over a misunderstanding involving a talisman. “I was arrested and investigated for a whole day because of a misunderstanding, and some investigators accused me of polytheism and disbelief,” he said.

Another widely shared story dates to 1987 and involves what followers call “Love of the Bedouin woman.” “At that time there were no borders or restrictions with passports, and Saudis used to come to Iraq easily, and that continued until the end of 1989. After that, crossing stopped,” he said.

Jawda, born in 1977, said most of his audience comes from his own generation. “Most of the followers are from my generation, the seventies and eighties, because they lived this stage and experienced the same situations.”

He said he has not contacted television producers due to work commitments. “I barely find time for my family, but if an opportunity to communicate were available, I would not refuse it.”