| Hind al-Mutayri | |
| Birth Place: | Taif, Saudi Arabia |
| Nationality: | Saudi Arabian |
| Education: | King Saud University, B.A. in Arabic Language King Saud University, Ph.D. in Philosophy |
| Boards: | Riyadh Literary Club Al Qassim Literary Club |
Hind bint Abd al-Razzaq Huwayl al-Mutayri (Arabic: هند المطيري) is a Saudi poet, writer and academic. She was born and raised in Taif, and it is where she received her education. She obtained a degree in the Arabic Language from King Saud University (1995) and a Ph.D. in Arabic Literature and Criticism from the Department of Arabic Language and Literature. She has participated in events, poetry slams, and readings both locally and internationally. She is also a member of Riyadh Literary Club and has two poetry collections and several critical and literary works.[1] [2]
al-Mutayri was born and raised in Taif where she developed her interest in poetry and literature.[3] She obtained her degree in the Arabic Language from King Saud University and later pursued a master’s and a Ph.D. from the Department of Arabic Language and Literature of the same university. She worked as a teacher at the Ministry of Education to later be transferred to King Saud University, Riyadh, to work as an associate professor at KSU Faculty of Arts[4] .
She is a member of the General Assembly and Poetry House of Riyadh Literary Club. In addition, she is a member of the Advisory Board of shua’raa wa sha’eraat al-watan (translation: Nation’s Poets and Poetesses) poetry group. She was also granted a permanent membership in Al Qassim Literary Club. al-Mutayri participated in educational development programs and cultural programs conducted by the Ministry of Education. In addition to contributing to events, celebrations, poetry readings and arbitration committees since 2004, al-Mutayri has many cultural and literary contributions at various literary clubs, as well as local newspapers, radio and Internet sites.
al-Mutayri, an Arab nationalist, started her journey writing patriotic poetry, later on, however; she diverted to ghazal poetry.[5] She considers herself the pioneer of feminism poetry in Saudi Arabia. She began writing poetry at an early age, as she was a middle school student at the time. She developed her own style after studying at the Faculty of Arts of King Saud University, in 1995, when she majored in Arabic. Her first works were patriotic poems, since 2000, however; she turned to ghazal poetry. After publishing her first poetry collection, she went on to short story writing.
Published in her poetry collection, Gemini (original: al-Jawzāʼ), which was issued by Riyadh Literary Club, her poem titled Woe to The Tribe (original: Wayḥ al-qabīlah)[6] or The Revolution of the Heart Spring (original: Thawrat al-rabīʻ al-Qalbī),[7] was recited in various clubs around the Kingdom, and at an event in Cairo, Egypt.[8] The poem was also recited at Jeddah International Book Fair[9] in December 2015. This, however, led to her being banned from participating in other cultural events by Mecca Governor, Prince Khalid bin Faisal Al Saud[10] for the next 15 years.[11] The poem was described as a “feminist slur against the restrictions imposed on women within the tribal community,”[12] and it caused many tribal men to demand that she be prosecuted and be forced to give an official apology for addressing tribal traditions.[13] Unapologetic, the poet responded to the attacks with multiple tweets and messages showing her attitude towards stifling tribal practices against women. She wrote the poem after the forced divorce of a tribal woman - Salma - from her husband of 13 years, the father of her five children because he had a non-tribal background and was thus “unsuitable” for tribal norms.[14]