Walid Makki infuses his narratives with the rich, mythic atmosphere of the Egyptian South. He achieved a major literary milestone when he won First Place in the Sawiris Cultural Award (Young Writers category) in its 21st edition (2025/2026) for his novel Sawakin Al-Oula (The First Sawakin). Published by Dar Al-Ain, the novel masterfully constructs a complete, isolated tribal universe where myth seamlessly intertwines with reality, utilizing symbolic tales to trace the history and customs of families navigating the seen and unseen worlds. This victory firmly places Makki among the most promising voices preserving and reinventing the Southern Egyptian narrative tradition.