Syrian traveler: Yemen is a living museum [Archives:2006/956/Culture]
June 19 2006
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Travel lover
Kab now has reached the end of the Incense Road, which extends from Yemen to the Mediterranean Sea. It was the road by which Yemeni incense reached Phoenician and Greek temples.
“I arrived in Yemen June 4. In cooperation with Yemen's Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Ministry of Culture, I've been able to see many parts of Yemen,” he said.
Kab used the “autostop” type of travel, employing various transportation modes including buses, cars and trucks; however, his return will be aboard a plane. He held his photo exhibition in every country he visited (Jordan and Saudi Arabia), along with a lecture on travel literature, meeting many intellectuals and writers. He added, “My trip was very interesting. I met many Arab youth.”
The photographer/traveler hopes to enhance Arab youth's knowledge about their homelands, as his trip's theme is: “Know your homeland's geography.”
“I realize that many youth don't have ample knowledge about certain important places in their countries. For example, in Yemen, I asked a host of youth about Mukalla. They replied that it's a seaside city and that was all, but they haven't visited it. Do you believe they also haven't visited Aden's tanks? So, this is a good way to urge Arab youth to know the geography of their homelands,” he explained.
The Incense Road
Kab attempted to trace the Incense Road in reverse from north to south. “It's a historic route. We have other routes like the Silk Road and the Spice Road, but the Incense Road requires more attention because it's not that famous. There's also a lack of references on it. My trip is meant to shed light on this historic road and draw attention to its historic significance.”
Setting out from Damascus, Kab's itinerary ran through Busra (a Syrian town on the Incense Road), the Jordanian border, Mafraq Um Al-Jimal, Jerash, Ajloun, Amman, Shawbak, Petra, Aqaba, the Saudi Arabian border, Medina, Jeddah, Mecca, Taif and Jaizan.
He then passed through Al-Tiwal and crossed Yemen's border coming to Hodeidah city and southward to Zabid, then to Taiz, Sana'a, Sayoun, Mukalla, Aden and then Sana'a again. He also plans to visit Marib and Ibb. He considers Sayoun in Adamou province the end of his Incense Road journey.
Yemen's distinctive civilization
“I bow my head before Yemeni civilization,” Kab enthused. “It's very outstanding – full of history and pan-Arab significance.”
He feels that visiting a new country is like turning the pages of a book. He actually read research on Yemen published in an Arabic magazine four years ago. The piece encouraged him to further explore and visit the land of Sheba.
Kab was struck by the special aspect of Yemeni towns like Zabid and Aden, being particularly drawn to Shibam Hadramout, which he described as “charming – I was spellbound.”
However, he was shocked while visiting Mukalla. “I've read about Mukalla, but when I visited, I couldn't see its ancient attractions. Even its gate isn't the old one – that was horrible.”
A living museum
The Syrian traveler admits that Yemen's pride is the fascinating Sana'a, wherein one can touch the “intimacy of the place and the brotherhood of the dwellings.”
He regrets that he only has a short time in Yemen. “My 17-day stay in Yemen is hardly enough to see even a glimpse of this country. If I really want to see Yemen, I need two years. If I want to photograph Yemen, I need much time because Yemen is a living macro-museum with an authentic civilization. For instance, Bab Al-Yemen is a historic Sana'a landmark and so are its people – they still wear the same traditional dresses and jambiyyas and speak their true dialect.”
Kab has taken hundreds of pictures of Yemen that are still on film. He doesn't like using digital cameras to take photos because they're “susceptible to manipulation of computer programs like Photoshop.” Therefore, he prefers to use a still camera, especially black and white, which he processes himself in a small home lab. However, because black and white film often isn't available, he must use color film.
Kab took up photography in 1998, honing his skills at the Center for Applied Arts. He participated in several group and solo photo exhibitions, as well as in shows in countries like France, Germany and Holland.
He is well-versed in history and likes it very much. He specifically likes great travelers who contributed much to Arab civilization. “I admire ancient Arab travelers like Ibn Battutah, Ibn Al-Sirafi, Ibn Fadhlan, Al-Idreesi, Ibn Jubair, Ibn Al-Wardi, etc. These great names enriched Arab heritage with their travels. I consider myself the grandson of these great forefathers, trying to toddle along in their footsteps.”
A book on Arab civilizations
The 29-year-old hopes to bridge divides between Arab nations, especially young generations who need to know each other more.
“Such a trip will be organized every year to several Arab countries,” he outlined. “I'm trying to visit the whole of the Arab world and author a photo-supported book on the similarities of civilizations across the Arab world. Similarities are apparent in historic and archeological sites, as well as in social traditions. For example, Yemenis wear the knife-like jambiyya and so do Omanis. This doesn't imply a splitting of our Arab civilization; rather, there's a unity in diversity. All Arab countries are my homeland. I don't believe in sub-nationalities.”
Kab called on all Arab youth to explore their countries' geography and do something for their homelands, which need them. “Nobody should feel frustrated or belittle their abilities. As youth, we should always remember that if there's a will, there's a way. I've come from Syria carrying depictions of Syria to show my Yemeni brothers. Let us be positive,” he urged.
Kab's profession is as a teacher of Islamic and Arabic decoration at the Damascus-based Center for Applied Arts. A member of the Syrian Photography Club, the International Photography Union and the Syrian Geographical Association, he has conducted numerous exploratory journeys in Syria, rode a bicycle from Syria to Jordan and sailed down the Euphrates River.
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[archive-e:956-v:14-y:2006-d:2006-06-19-p:culture]
