Abdulla Goran
Encyclopedia
Abdulla Goran was a Kurdish
poet. He undoubtedly brought about a revolution in Kurdish
poetry, and is also called the father of modern Kurdish literature. At this time Kurdish poetry was loaded with hundreds of years of foreign heritage, especially Arabic. Goran cleared his poetry of this influence and gave it a form, rhythm, language and content which was based on Kurdish reality and Kurdish culture, nature and folkloric traditions. The Arabic meter ('urûz), much used in all Muslim Oriental poetry, was exchanged for patterns from old Kurdish folk songs, and the vocabulary was purified of Arabic and other languages.
in 1904, he studied in Kirkuk
. When his father and older brother died, he left school and taught as a teacher for several years in the Hawraman region. In the 1940s when the Allies established a Radio Station in Jaffa
, Goran served as Kurdish staff member. Active in the Iraqi Communist Party
he was arrested and tortured many times during the period of the monarchy. Until 1954, he was editor for the journal Jîn (Life). In early 1959, he became the editor in chief of the journal Shafaq (dawn, later changing name to Bayan). He was appointed a lecturer at the Department of Kurdish language and literature at the University of Baghdad
in autumn of 1960.
As a member of the Iraqi Committee of peace and solidarity he often traveled to the former Soviet Union
. He became ill with cancer and died in Kurdistan on November 18, 1962.
Goran went through three different periods in his literary career. This is evident in both the content and the form of his poetry. First he went through a classic period following the footsteps of his predecessors.
Then he went into a romantic
period, where women and nature were the most dominant themes. He started to transform traditional patterns of poetry. Characteristically Goran often sees the woman in Nature
and Nature in the woman as in the poem Beauty and the woman. In his mature years, Goran turned to free verse
as a means of expressing his political commitment to his people's fight for freedom and the working class struggle. He exposed, in his subtle and innovative poetry, gender discrimination against women, specially honor killing
. He strongly condemned honor killing in one of his poems, Berde-nûsêk (A Tomb-Stone).
Throughout the last years of his writing, however, one will observe how a progressively stronger political tendency in the end overshadows and weakens the aesthethic aspects of Goran's poetry.
Goran published his poems, articles and translations in majority of the Kurdish journals and newspapers between early 1930s and until his death. During his lifetime, two collections of his poetry were published, "Paradise & Memory" and Firmêsk û Huner (Tears & Art) in 1950.
His poem “Kurdistan” articulates what this love is and how it shapes his thoughts and defines his aesthetic values: I have been nurtured by these valleys, summits and hummocks, My breath is full of the fragrant breeze of your highlands, My lips are satiated by your snow waters, My gaze is used to the sight of your silvery twilights Reflecting on evening snows, My ears are habituated to the music of your waterfalls Pouring down from high quarters above snow to green landscapes. My tongue bloomed with your beautiful speech,With words of your mountain songs, The words of folk tales told around fireplaces, The words of your children‘s lullabies. When blood stirs in my veins, It does so under the power of your love, I know.
One of his most famous and popular poem is (Paîyz)"Automn" and published in (Siruştî Ciwan) "Beautiful nature"
Paîyz! Paîyz!
Bûkî pirç zerd,
Min mat to zîz:
Herdu hawderd!
Min firmêskim, to baranît;
Min henasem, to bay sardît;
Min xem, to hewrî giryanît..
Dwaîy naye: dadim, dadit,
Hergîz, hergîz,
Paîyz! Paîyz!
Paîyz! Paîyz!
Şan û mil rût,
Min mat, to zîz,
Herdûkman cût
Herçend gul sîs ebê bigrîn,
Altûnî dar erjê bigrîn,
Polî baldar efrê bigrîn,
Bigrîn.. bigrîn.. çawman nesirrîn,
Hergîz, hergîz,
Paîyz! Paîyz!
Kurdish people
The Kurdish people, or Kurds , are an Iranian people native to the Middle East, mostly inhabiting a region known as Kurdistan, which includes adjacent parts of Iran, Iraq, Syria, and Turkey...
poet. He undoubtedly brought about a revolution in Kurdish
Kurdish language
Kurdish is a dialect continuum spoken by the Kurds in western Asia. It is part of the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian group of Indo-European languages....
poetry, and is also called the father of modern Kurdish literature. At this time Kurdish poetry was loaded with hundreds of years of foreign heritage, especially Arabic. Goran cleared his poetry of this influence and gave it a form, rhythm, language and content which was based on Kurdish reality and Kurdish culture, nature and folkloric traditions. The Arabic meter ('urûz), much used in all Muslim Oriental poetry, was exchanged for patterns from old Kurdish folk songs, and the vocabulary was purified of Arabic and other languages.
Life
Abdulla was born in HalabjaHalabja
Halabja , is a Kurdish town in Northern Iraq, located about north-east of Baghdad and 8–10 miles from the Iranian border....
in 1904, he studied in Kirkuk
Kirkuk
Kirkuk is a city in Iraq and the capital of Kirkuk Governorate.It is located in the Iraqi governorate of Kirkuk, north of the capital, Baghdad...
. When his father and older brother died, he left school and taught as a teacher for several years in the Hawraman region. In the 1940s when the Allies established a Radio Station in Jaffa
Jaffa
Jaffa is an ancient port city believed to be one of the oldest in the world. Jaffa was incorporated with Tel Aviv creating the city of Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Jaffa is famous for its association with the biblical story of the prophet Jonah.-Etymology:...
, Goran served as Kurdish staff member. Active in the Iraqi Communist Party
Iraqi Communist Party
Since its foundation in 1934, the Iraqi Communist Party has dominated the left in Iraqi politics. It played a fundamental role in shaping the political history of Iraq between its foundation and the 1970s. The Party was involved in many of the most important national uprisings and demonstrations...
he was arrested and tortured many times during the period of the monarchy. Until 1954, he was editor for the journal Jîn (Life). In early 1959, he became the editor in chief of the journal Shafaq (dawn, later changing name to Bayan). He was appointed a lecturer at the Department of Kurdish language and literature at the University of Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
in autumn of 1960.
As a member of the Iraqi Committee of peace and solidarity he often traveled to the former Soviet Union
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
. He became ill with cancer and died in Kurdistan on November 18, 1962.
Works
The dominant themes in Goran's poetry are his ideal of freedom and his love for Kurdistan, for women and for nature. His way of depicting nature is unique within Kurdish literature. Here and through other aspects Goran reveals a familiarity with the leading European modernist poets.Goran went through three different periods in his literary career. This is evident in both the content and the form of his poetry. First he went through a classic period following the footsteps of his predecessors.
Then he went into a romantic
Romanticism
Romanticism was an artistic, literary and intellectual movement that originated in the second half of the 18th century in Europe, and gained strength in reaction to the Industrial Revolution...
period, where women and nature were the most dominant themes. He started to transform traditional patterns of poetry. Characteristically Goran often sees the woman in Nature
and Nature in the woman as in the poem Beauty and the woman. In his mature years, Goran turned to free verse
Free verse
Free verse is a form of poetry that refrains from consistent meter patterns, rhyme, or any other musical pattern.Poets have explained that free verse, despite its freedom, is not free. Free Verse displays some elements of form...
as a means of expressing his political commitment to his people's fight for freedom and the working class struggle. He exposed, in his subtle and innovative poetry, gender discrimination against women, specially honor killing
Honor killing
An honor killing or honour killing is the homicide of a member of a family or social group by other members, due to the belief of the perpetrators that the victim has brought dishonor upon the family or community...
. He strongly condemned honor killing in one of his poems, Berde-nûsêk (A Tomb-Stone).
Throughout the last years of his writing, however, one will observe how a progressively stronger political tendency in the end overshadows and weakens the aesthethic aspects of Goran's poetry.
Goran published his poems, articles and translations in majority of the Kurdish journals and newspapers between early 1930s and until his death. During his lifetime, two collections of his poetry were published, "Paradise & Memory" and Firmêsk û Huner (Tears & Art) in 1950.
His poem “Kurdistan” articulates what this love is and how it shapes his thoughts and defines his aesthetic values: I have been nurtured by these valleys, summits and hummocks, My breath is full of the fragrant breeze of your highlands, My lips are satiated by your snow waters, My gaze is used to the sight of your silvery twilights Reflecting on evening snows, My ears are habituated to the music of your waterfalls Pouring down from high quarters above snow to green landscapes. My tongue bloomed with your beautiful speech,With words of your mountain songs, The words of folk tales told around fireplaces, The words of your children‘s lullabies. When blood stirs in my veins, It does so under the power of your love, I know.
One of his most famous and popular poem is (Paîyz)"Automn" and published in (Siruştî Ciwan) "Beautiful nature"
Paîyz! Paîyz!
Bûkî pirç zerd,
Min mat to zîz:
Herdu hawderd!
Min firmêskim, to baranît;
Min henasem, to bay sardît;
Min xem, to hewrî giryanît..
Dwaîy naye: dadim, dadit,
Hergîz, hergîz,
Paîyz! Paîyz!
Paîyz! Paîyz!
Şan û mil rût,
Min mat, to zîz,
Herdûkman cût
Herçend gul sîs ebê bigrîn,
Altûnî dar erjê bigrîn,
Polî baldar efrê bigrîn,
Bigrîn.. bigrîn.. çawman nesirrîn,
Hergîz, hergîz,
Paîyz! Paîyz!
See also
- Kurds
- KurdishKurdish languageKurdish is a dialect continuum spoken by the Kurds in western Asia. It is part of the Iranian branch of the Indo-Iranian group of Indo-European languages....
- Iraqi KurdistanIraqi KurdistanIraqi Kurdistan or Kurdistan Region is an autonomous region of Iraq. It borders Iran to the east, Turkey to the north, Syria to the west and the rest of Iraq to the south. The regional capital is Arbil, known in Kurdish as Hewlêr...
- PoetryPoetryPoetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
- Jaff tribe