Profile of late Yemeni historian ba Matraf [Archives:2002/28/Culture]

SALEH ABDULBAQI
YEMEN TIMES STAFF
On Monday the first of July 2002, Yemen commemorated Mohammed Abdulqader Ba Matrafs 14th death anniversary. Ba Matraf is one of the greatest cultural and historical pioneers.
Ba Matrafs death on July first 1988 was a shock that many could not handle and imagine. He was an intellectual and a writer who gained readers love, respect, and admiration especially for his historical writings. Ba Matraf was one of a few Yemeni writers who were involved in history documenting and could frame its events in an attractive and pleasant manner. He left a great heritage of indispensable historical writings in different fields of knowledge. Among his famous writings was a book about a once well-known sailor, Sheikh Saeed ba Taea, who composed two poems on his journeys in the sea, which are still in use today. Ba Matraf also wrote about the blind sailor, Ahmad bin Urwa, who had extra ordinary abilities in identifying the sea depth and secrets. All of those individuals as well as many others who were attached to sailing and ships were described and mentioned in ba Matrafs book Unforgettable Characters, which was written based on his close encounters and relations with his eras prominent sheikhs, poets, scholars, and sailors.
Mohammed Abdulqader ba Matraf, who belongs to the Hadrami tribe Kendah, a tribe with significant historical roles, was born in 1915 in Ashaher, the oldest town of Hadramout and the oldest known seaport on the Arab Sea. He was known as Abu Ali or Ben Hadram in some of his writings in newspapers like Attaleea and Arraya that were issued just before independence in 1967 in Mukalla City, the capital of the Hadramout province.
Ba Matraf received his basic education at the prominent Makarim al-Akhlaq school in Al Shaher which depended only on respectful and skillful teachers, but he always liked to learn be himself. Then, he joined Aden High School in 1921 and left for Britain for higher studies in the field of commerce in 1935. He also studied summarizing, quick typing, translation and other skills in Cambridge University. Upon his graduation in 1936, ba Matraf worked as a typist and translator. Afterwards, he occupied many positions including a translator for Saif al-islam al-Hussieni during his visit to the UK during 1936-1938, then he returned to Hadramout, where worked in the British Consultative Administration during 1939-1949. He indexed the Sultanate Library in 1967 which carried his name thereafter.
After the independence of South Yemen, ba Matraf was engaged in composing and writing research papers and worked with the Ministry of Culture as a researcher until his death in 1988. He wrote many poems and established many close relations with great poets such as Al-Mihdar, and Saleh Abdurahman Al Moflehi. He wrote many stories such as Mariam al-Mastlia, which resulted in a debate among the intellectual and cultural community. This story was published in a series in Asharara newspaper in Hadhramout. Among his researches were the literature of the revolution, what history neglected, and courtship in Al Mehdar poetry. On the other hand, ba Matraf made great contributions to drama sector and composed many theatrical acts such as the microphone, the aged man, and dreams.
Ba Matraf wrote columns and articles for a number of Arab newspapers. He wrote an introduction to Ahmed Awad ba Wazirs book the Palace Martyrs, al-Mehdars collection of poems Lovers Tears, and al-Moflehi poetry collection. Ba Matraf had enriched the Arabic and Yemeni libraries with a huge collection of writings despite the daily harassments, imprisonment, and the robbery of valuable items during political disputes in Hadramout before the revolution. His studies included an analysis on the popular proverbs, a general rule on heritage and how to filter it from impure elements.
This political disorder before the revolution in the South resulted in many victims. Ba Matraf himself was among those victims as he was imprisoned and had his properties confiscated. Among the valuable publications that were robbed was the book 50 years of tribal conflicts in Hadramout 1845-1895, by al-Moallem Abdulhaq a pioneer and popular poet by the time. His famous book Praising old Yemeni talent in poetry naturally without imitation was printed by the Book Authority in Sanaa.
There is no doubt that such a great man deserves the respect and admiration of all Yemenis. Thousands of pages would be needed to present part of his achievements and writings that participated in the change and revolution of the former South Yemen. The least that we should do right now is express our appreciation for his role and describe and present his great writings and publications, which will continue to be present in our lives for centuries to come.

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