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March 22, 2007
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Modern Kurdish Poetry (2006)
An Anthology & Introduction
Rafiq Sabir, Kamal Mirawdeli, & Stephen Watts
Centre for Multiethnic Research, Uppsala University, Sweden
Kurdish Aspect - By Rob .E. Cole
“Kurdistan: you are my abode, my abode of thousands of years
I have been nurtured by your valleys, summits and hummocks…”
Abdullah Goran
This anthology is a fine addition to the Endangered
Languages and Cultures (ELC) series from
Uppsala University in Sweden. The series serves
to stimulate and support linguistic and cultural
revitalisation. In this anthology, the survival of
Kurdish against oppression and assimilatory
pressures is celebrated while remaining conscious
of the fact that until there is an independent
Kurdistan the dialects will surely remain
endangered. The lyrical sophistication of Kurdish
poetry can translate awkwardly into English and at
times this is true here, but generally such
anthologies play an important role in underpinning
Kurdish identity by giving it a voice and raising
awareness of the nation and its culture for a wider
audience. Those with a good knowledge of Kurdish poetry may find the choice of poems and the omission of some poets surprising, but when considering the unfortunate scarcity of translations of Kurdish poetry into English, the reader can at least gain an important introduction to the likes of Haji Taufiq Peeramerd, Abdullah Goran, Kamaran Mukri, Sherko Bekas and other greats.
Dr Rafiq Sabir provides an excellent introduction to this specific literature area with his lucid examination of the three classical schools of Kurdish poetry and modern Kurdish poetry. It is fitting that the poets featured are from the modern and contemporary eras as their role in social and political life developed significantly after the division of Kurdistan in the years after the First World War. It is through poetry, the oldest genre of Kurdish literature, that the Kurdish nation’s shared memory of fortitude against oppression has endured.
“Your heart is full of the sadness of history
It stands steadfast…”
Jalal Barzinji
Such uplifting sentiments are a recurrent theme in the anthology. “Ever since I was born I’ve been dreaming” Abdullah Pashew tells us but romantic patriotism cannot tell us the whole story. Sherko Bekas takes into the dark valleys of Kurdish history in his stunning poem, Impossibility.
“By the hair of Habiba & Nali’s narawen
Thousands of well-springs were murdered
Thousands of our songs froze to death
Thousands of stars were shattered…”
The anthology works because in its choice of poems it captures the elements of Kurdish existence from the beauty of its terrain to socio-political struggle and the brilliant arrival of woman poets pushing the boundaries of a patriarchal society. We see a strong nation with a thriving collective identity. Modern Kurdish poetry reflects the ambition of nation-building and the seemingly endless journey to achieve that objective.
“Let no-one say that the Kurds are dead
We live on with our flag never lowered…”
Dildar
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