From Elite to Everyday: Kurdish Poetry’s Journey to Wider Audiences
Wasafiri works with Editors at Large across South East Asia and Aotearoa New Zealand, and the Middle East. During their tenure, each Editor at Large writes a piece reflecting on an aspect of their literary locality. In this piece, Yaser Hassan Ali explores the emergence of Kurdish pop poetry in the Bahdinan region of Iraqi Kurdistan in the early 2000s.
Following Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, and the Kurdish involvement in rebuilding post-Saddam Iraq, a popular new poetic trend emerged onto the Bahdinani cultural scene in Iraqi Kurdistan. It aimed to return poetry to the people, to make it available for everyone, and the trend mostly involved poets from the younger generation, who had no rich literary background. In a relatively short period of time, they became popular and were very much welcomed by public. To a large degree, they obtained their popularity due to their enthusiastic nationalist discourse — especially their anti-Arab one. The increasing tension between the Kurds and the Arabs helped establish a broad popular base for these poets, who promoted sensitive matters of nationalism through their work. The issue of disputed territories between the Kurds and the Arabs, the attack of the Islamic State in Iraq and Sham (ISIS) on Kurdistan, as well as the Kurdish referendum for independence from Iraq, all played a significant role in this stimulation.
The young poets utilised these matters and dealt with them as poetic themes. Furthermore, the audience saw themselves in their poetry and felt validated. However, there were other important factors that contributed to the popularity of the poets. For instance, they performed their poetry with music and songs, structured their poems in a simple way, and utilised new technologies in disseminating their work. In particular, they recorded their poetry and published CDs, as well as made video clips that were shared on social media. These attributes that characterised their poetry made it enjoyable and accessible to many people. In particular, the simplicity of their poetry made it easy for everyone to understand and it could be explored as a part of popular culture.
According to Andrew Edgar and Peter Sedgwick in Cultural Theory (2008), popular culture, in its simple definition, is ‘the culture that appeals to, or that is most comprehensible by, the general public’ (246–247). Due to these conditions being present in this poetry, I explore it as part of popular culture and refer to it as ‘pop poetry’. It is important to note that these poets themselves have not named their poetry, except to describe it as ‘poetry for all’. Drawing on Edgar and Sedgwick’s definition, the other point that makes this labelling appropriate is that popular cultural artefacts serve to articulate some differentiations in society, including ‘ethnic identity’. This is the third reason behind categorising this poetry as part of popular culture, and identifying it as pop poetry. Interestingly, this type of poetry is only found in the Bahdinan region. Neither the Sorani speaking area in Iraqi Kurdistan, nor Arab Iraq, has witnessed such a phenomenon, which eventually became a style of poetry in Bahdinan, and a part of its cultural identity.
Prior to 2003, or more precisely, after the Kurdish uprising in 1991 against the Arab Ba’ath regime, as well as the semi-independence of Iraqi Kurdistan, Bahdinani Kurdish poetry critically focused on the Kurdish self through questioning its national identity; whereas, after the toppling of the Arab Ba’ath regime in 2003, it turned to glorifying the Kurdish self, and humiliating the 'Arab Other'. Arab culture, race, geography, landscape, and even the practice of Islam became targets of Kurdish poets’ criticism. As never witnessed before, they were successful in making their poetry as the poetry of the day. It became available almost everywhere – on mobile phones, CDs, TV and radio channels – as well as at various events organised for the poets. They played an important role in mobilising people around Kurdish national identity and in shaping their perspectives about themselves as Kurds. Prior to 1991, under the rule of Arab Ba’athists, Kurdish poets symbolically resisted pan-Arabism, but after 2003, the new young poets began to produce their identity discourse more directly. Despite the popularity that they gained amongst everyday people, their poetry was often criticised by Kurdish modernist poets, who argued that they were soiling the reputation of poetry. Regardless, these pop poets held a lead position in the general cultural scene of Bahdinan. While the modernist poets relied on their poetry’s artistic value and a cultural elite audience, the young poets counted on their new paradigm of poetry, and the wide base of the everyday people as their audience.
Audience and Accessibility Before the Rise of Pop Poetry
Nearly a decade after the Kurdish uprising in 1991, a noticeable decline was observed in the strong bond between poetry and its audience. This decline became evident during the reign of modernist poetry and the Nûkirin Herûher Group, prominent in the Bahdinani literary scene. Their complex writing style introduced ambiguity into their poems, erecting a formidable barrier between poetry and its audience due to the abstract nature of their poetic language. This issue and its repercussions were prominently featured in local newspapers and cultural magazines. It also became one of the focal points of discussion within literary circles and gatherings at the Kurdish Writers Union in Bahdinan and the University of Duhok. Some critics went as far as to proclaim a crisis in poetry, while others boldly declared its death. However, the modernist poets proudly claimed they had been successful in returning Kurdish poetry to its rightful position, which, according to them, should only be available to those who could experience literary pleasure by understanding its aesthetic values.
Kurdish Pop Poetry and its Movement of Popularising Poetry
Regardless of the quality of pop poetry produced by the young poets, they demonstrated that the genre could be made accessible to people, enabling them to enjoy it even during the age of modernity and post-modernity. These poets believed that poetry should be for pleasure, beneficial, and in particular, it had to be clear, simple, and comprehensible so as to reach out to everyone. Hence, in this regard, they took a contrary stance to the Nûkirin Herûher Group and to those who adopted modernity in poetry. The latter were criticised by the post-2003 younger generation of poets, who argued that their intricacy and ambiguity prevented people from receiving and loving poetry. They claimed that the members of Nûkirin Herûher Group themselves could not understand each other’s poetry as their poems had become like enigmatic puzzles. Meanwhile, the post-2003 generation’s poetry, in a very short time, obtained widespread public acceptance, especially amongst the common people.
In addition to the simplicity of their poetry, nationalism and the use of new technology contributed to its resonance with people. While the modernist poets argued that these two factors were the reasons behind the loss of the audience, for the youngest poets, they became tools that increased the popularity of poetry. Their poems became available on CDs, mobile phones, satellite televisions and the internet. They became accessible even for those not able to read poetry, or those who had little time to read it. As the inventor and pioneer of multimedia poetry Şe’ban Silêman (2008) highlights: new technologies and the internet help people to experience poetry whenever and wherever they are, not just letting them see it, but also to hearing and feeling it.
Silêman’s technique of merging poetry with technology has gone through various developments since, each one adapting and effectively contributing to increasing poetry’s popularity. Whilst orality was an essential element in all these stages, he added image and performance accompanied with musical instruments and in many times, in the form of video clips. Due to the success of these sorts of poetic offerings, art production companies like Stêr, Hesen Şerîf, Vîn and Şevîn, as well as various television stations, engaged in producing this poetry. It eventually became a commercial project, whilst at the same time, also a cultural project of Kurdish nationalism. In each stage of presenting their poetry, poets from the new generation attempted to imitate Silêman and his new poetic paradigm and adopt his style. However, a keen observer can still detect a plurality of voices, whereby each individual fingerprint lingers on this style. The poets Burhan Zêbarî (b. 1980) and Helgord Qehar (b. 1980) are amongst the new voices that represent this new poetic paradigm. However, in terms of proficiency and popularity, they were not as successful as Silêman in the beginning and only achieved popularity later in a short period of time. Some, like Zêbarî, competed successfully with Silêman, going on to become a very prominent poet, with a huge number of people admiring his poetry. Silêman and Zêbarî successfully exploited technologies and brilliantly performed on stage, their video clips widely circulated. Both are well-known for their work and were invited to appear on various programmes, not only those shown on Kurdish satellite TV in Iraqi Kurdistan, but also in a trans-border dimension, such as on the Turkish channel in Kurdish TR6.
In the first stage of merging new technology with poetry, Silêman started recording his poems with music on CDs, which got sponsored by art production companies. Producing CDs for poets (like musicians) by various art production companies was an unprecedented occurrence, not only in the cultural history of Bahdinan, but also in the whole of Iraqi Kurdistan. Most interestingly, due to its success, it became a kind of business. In one of his interviews with Zoom magazine (2008), Şe’ban Silêman articulately says that he aims to make poetry valuable through two things: popularising it among the everyday people and getting financial benefits from it. He believes that the moral value of poetry depends on its commercial value as well. At the very beginning, in 2000, Silêman started reading poetry with music online on the Paltalk website, particularly in the well-known Kurdish chat room, Kochka Kurdistan, which was established in 1999. These internet room services helped him to achieve a certain level of fame, which led to Duhok Radio offering him the opportunity to record his poems in its special recording studio and to broadcast them. With increasing popularity, in coordination with Tomargeha Doskî (Doskî Recordings Shop), he put out his audio recordings onto the market as the first CD test of his poetry. After that, Silêman gradually rose to stardom and fame. In 2002, Dezgehê Hesen Şerîf (Hesen Şerîf Art Production Company) published his poetry collection CD, Tora Evînê (The Net of Love). In 2004, Dezgehê Stêr (Stêr Art Production Company) published his poetry collection CD, Peyama Eşqê (The Message of Love). In 2007, Dezgehê Hesen Şerîf also published his poetry collection CD, Tu Hatiye Çi? (What have you come for?). In 2008, the satellite television Vîn TV sponsored his poetry collection CD, Bûka Baranê (The Doll of Rain), which was recorded in Istanbul. In 2009, Vîn TV sponsored another poetry collection CD of him, named Gotgotk (Propaganda). In 2011, also under the sponsorship of Vîn TV, Silêman published his poetry collection CD, Rabe Xanî (Get up, Xanî!).
The second stage of his experience with poetry and new technology was the innovative idea of poetry films. This kind of poetry is no different to contemporary music videos in terms of scenario, montage, actors and direction, other than the poet replacing singer. Hence, despite the poetic text, the quality of his voice, and his ability to perform in addition to his presence, played a significant role in a widespread acceptance of his work amongst the people. In addition to making a poetry collection CD, in 2003, he started making poetry videos with Kurdistan TV, but his real beginning with this style was in 2006, with Vîn TV and his poetry Bersiv (The Answer). Then, in 2007, he made a video clip for his poem Tu Hatiye Çi? (What Have You Come for?). In 2009, he made Wexer (Traveling) and after that, in 2010, with Delal TV, he published Erdewan Zaxoyî. In 2011, he produced Duhî û Evro (Yesterday and Today) and Tu bi Tinê ya ji Hejî (Only You Deserve), which were sponsored by Vin TV and Duhok TV, respectively. In 2012, Vin TV produced his poem Rabe Xanî (Get up, Xanî!). In 2013, the poems Kekê Pêşmerge (Peshmerga) and Baran (Rain) became video clips under the sponsorship of Vin TV and Dezgehe Şevîn (Şevîn Art Production Company), respectively[i]. Due to the accessibility of the internet, and the ubiquitous availability of various electronic devices, these poetry video clips became widely disseminated among the people. In particular, YouTube and social media, especially Facebook, helped spread his work.
The third stage of Silêman’s attempts to disseminate his poetry was to make video clips with Kurdish singers and perform them as a duo. Whilst in terms of engaging new technology this stage was no different to the second, it was still considered to be a new leap in terms of popularising poetry. In doing this, he raised his profile substantially by tapping into the singer’s audience that he would be collaborating with. This new paradigm of poetry emerged in 2014, immediately after Iraqi Kurdistan was exposed to militant attacks by ISIS, and it was used as a form of mobilisation against external threats. For instance, Vin TV sponsored the poet Şe’ban Silêman and the singer Rêkêş Seranî in their video clip Da’iş (ISIS). Also, in 2015, WAAR TV sponsored Silêman and the singer Hesen Şerîfin for their video clip Kobanê. In the same year, FA Production sponsored his video clip Dewlet (The State) with the singer Rêkêş Seranî’.
As this exploration demonstrates, the evolution of Kurdish poetry is not just about changing forms, but also about shifting who it speaks to, and how it connects with its audience. This movement represents a remarkable shift in how Kurdish poetry engages with its audience, reflecting a cultural evolution that embraces both tradition and innovation. Poets like Şe’ban Silêman have pioneered new approaches, blending traditional forms with popular appeal and bridging the gap between literary and everyday audiences. By adapting their work to accessible language, contemporary themes, and the latest digital platforms, these poets have reached a broader spectrum of Kurdish society than ever before.
In this way, Kurdish poetry’s journey from an elite art form to everyday expression represents a remarkable cultural transition in Bahdinan and Iraqi Kurdistan. What was once reserved for select audiences now resonates with the wider public, uniting traditional forms and popular culture in a shared sense of Kurdish identity. This evolution not only reconnects poetry with the general public, but also reflects a collective identity accessible to all, underscoring the power of Kurdish poetry to inspire, reflect, and unite its people across generations and borders.
[i] For example, see the following YouTube links:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PTEyMGOHxho&frags=pl%2Cwn
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wliXb9xc9Vo&frags=pl%2Cwn
Cover photo by Zyanya BMO on Unsplash