Cegerxwîn is the great poet of Kurdish patriotism. His poems, epic in spirit, were passed from tongue to tongue, sometimes etched into memory through melody, sometimes serving as a refuge in the most difficult times. He elevated the Kurdish soul through his legacy. “Kî ne Em” became a call to awakening, and his words on national unity have remained a fundamental truth across generations. A towering figure in Kurdish literature, Cegerxwîn is now at the center of a major new project. His poetry is being brought into the digital age through voice recordings. This important initiative is being led by music producer and director of the Kurdish-German Cultural Institute, Hakan Akay, who spoke to Yeni Özgür Politika newspaper about the project’s scope, its current stage, and its ultimate goals.
900 poems to be digitized
Hakan Akay stated that there are approximately 900 known poems by Cegerxwîn: “In total, ten divans have been published. Some of them were released during Cegerxwîn’s lifetime, including reprints. Later on, other poems were published in fragments.” Akay explained that the goal is to transfer this entire literary archive into digital format. While the idea began around twelve years ago, he said it has only become practically active over the past year. He added: “I first met Cegerxwîn’s eldest son, Keyo Hassan, in 2012 at their home in Hewlêr (Erbil), during a visit I made with Şivan Perwer. At the time, I had gone to request written permission for one of Cegerxwîn’s works to be performed by an artist whose production I was overseeing. Keyo was very pleased about the visit and told me how, in the past, even the music label and publishing house that had a legal agreement with their family had failed to inform them about uses of Cegerxwîn’s works. He explained that their goodwill had been exploited and insisted that we take all necessary legal steps to protect his father’s legacy. In line with that request, we began the legal process with the family. It took years, but we were eventually able to secure the full transfer of rights. Unfortunately, Keyo Hassan passed away during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to a long period of delay. After his passing, we continued the remaining legal steps with Kekê Azad Hassan on behalf of the family.”
Cegerxwîn does not exist in official records
Hakan Akay also recounted how he first came into contact with Cegerxwîn’s family and revealed a striking detail: “In 2011 or 2012, I wanted to obtain written permission from Cegerxwîn’s family for a poem recited by an artist whose album I was producing. When I spoke with his son, Keyo Hassan, I was faced with an entirely unexpected reality. They gave their consent willingly but also asked for my help. Apparently, Cegerxwîn had transferred the copyright of his works to a publishing house and music label he had been introduced to through the Kurdish Institute of Paris. They told me that he had signed a Turkish-language document without understanding it, reportedly out of respect for individuals who had intervened at the time. Since then, the family had received no information or communication regarding the use of his works. After Keyo Hassan’s passing, we continued the legal procedures with Azad Hassan, whom all the siblings had appointed as their official representative via notarized power of attorney. In 2018, we formally transferred the rights to the Kurdish-German Cultural Institute, which I founded. However, once we began the necessary legal research, we encountered a deeply troubling situation: Cegerxwîn existed only on paper. Although his name appeared on album covers, in official documents submitted to the Ministry of Culture, his poems were listed as ‘anonymous.’ This was done, unfortunately, by Kurdish artists. There was not even a minimal gesture of respect. Cegerxwîn simultaneously existed and did not exist, his language, his culture, and his art were erased from the record. Even if the intention was to avoid paying royalties, this is unacceptable. Artists who claim to be part of a people striving for national identity, for national culture and art, should never have done such a thing. After we completed the legal transfer, and with the family’s full consent, we began searching for a way to deliver these works to the public under a unified, respectful platform.”
We are living in the digital age
Hakan Akay noted that the decline in reading culture was one of the factors that led to the development of this idea. He continued: “We are living in an era of digital civilization. So, we tried to adapt culture, art, literature, and all our efforts in this field to the digital age by using its tools. Our goal was to use this medium to connect books and poetry with the people. There are Kurds living on the other side of the world now. How can we reach them? At this point, the best method is digital format. Through it, we aim to bring Cegerxwîn’s works to everyone, to every place where Kurds live. Of course, Cegerxwîn has already reached people through music, especially with works like Kî ne Em, interpreted by many artists, first and foremost Şivan Perwer. But we want to do more. For example, most people do not even know that the lyrics of the song Newroze Newroze belong to Cegerxwîn. We are talking about someone whose poem Şev çu, among many others, has been set to music, literally hundreds of poems. And we are speaking of someone who wrote in a clear, refined Kurdish that can be understood by Kurds in all four parts of Kurdistan.”
Cegerxwîn is a guide
Akay emphasized that through this project, they aim to connect Cegerxwîn’s works with new generations: “Cegerxwîn constantly posed the question to Kurds, who are you? Who are we? But it was never just an empty question. He emphasized that we are a people with a civilization, with values, and that we should take pride in our identity, especially at a time when others sought to belittle it. He taught us that we must resist this. That is precisely why Cegerxwîn is one of the artists of the 20th century who strengthened the national spirit. The Germans have a poet named Heinrich Heine, a major figure of the Romantic period. His poems have been set to music nearly five thousand times. Similarly, Cegerxwîn is a poet whose work has been set to music hundreds of times across Kurdistan. His poems are naturally suited for musical composition. And once combined with music, his work has become part of the artistic foundation for thousands of people. He is a national artist, someone who inspires, who guides, who gives meaning and content. That is why it was essential to bring such an artist to the new generations.”
It will be available in 240 countries
Hakan Akay explained that the project will be released simultaneously worldwide and shared the following details: “Cegerxwîn is not simply an artist of the past whose time has ended. He was a poet, a writer, a historian, and a philosopher, all of these qualities existed within him. Therefore, the easiest, fastest, and most accurate way to introduce him to new generations is to present the original texts of his poetry, pronounced as precisely as possible, in their authentic form. This project will be available in 240 countries around the world from the moment it is published. It will be accessible in real time on every major platform, in a format that anyone can watch, listen to, or access whenever they want. From Spotify and iTunes to YouTube and beyond, it will reach everywhere.”
Artists will recite the poems
Akay emphasized that this is the first project of its kind and shared further details about how many poems will be digitized and how many artists will be involved: “We are talking about an enormous body of work, around 900 poems written in Kurdish. A vast archive of poetry readings is being created. Nearly 80 artists from across the four parts of Kurdistan, each of whom has contributed to Kurdish culture, cinema, literature, theater, or music, are recording video readings of these poems. We asked well-known figures in their fields to record one poem each. About 100 to 150 of Cegerxwîn’s poems have already been turned into songs, but nearly 700 of them remain largely unknown. Through this project, we aim to bring those to life as well, making them part of daily artistic expression. In this way, we are also offering Kurdish artists and Kurdish music as a whole, a rich and powerful new repertoire. It is a meaningful contribution to Kurdish art.”
A tribute to Cegerxwîn
Akay emphasized that the project carries strong educational value and is also an expression of gratitude to the poet himself: “We have created a video archive of poetry readings in Kurmancî, Soranî, Zazakî, and Gorani, with artists representing the colorful diversity of the four parts of Kurdistan. This is not only an artistic endeavor, but also an act of honoring and embracing Cegerxwîn’s legacy. Another important aspect of the project is its role in supporting the learning and teaching of the Kurdish language, particularly its proper pronunciation. People will be able to hear these poems and understand how the words are meant to be spoken. In that way, the project also becomes a learning tool for the Kurdish language. Especially on platforms like YouTube and Spotify, people will not only hear the correct pronunciation but also see the text of the poems. They will be able to follow the lyrics while listening. This is how we aim to contribute to both the preservation of Kurdish literature and the revitalization of the language itself.”
Those who know Kurdish best
Akay also shared details about the contributors involved in the project: “The readers were carefully selected from among those who speak Kurdish fluently and can recite Cegerxwîn’s poems with clear pronunciation, free of dialectal or regional accents. Memo Seyda from Rojava recorded three divans. Hekîm Sefkan also read three divans, Kî ne Em, Sevra Azadî, and Ronak. Gülistan İke, Ayhan Erkmen, Sidiq Gorîcan, and Hamid Ömer each recorded one divan. Altogether, all ten divans have now been voiced. We initially wanted each divan to be read by a different voice and hoped to include a broader range of female voices. However, due to technical constraints and the quality of the recordings, we decided these were the most suitable contributors. This is a foundational archival effort. Our aim is to move beyond the limitations of printed publications and deliver these works to future generations in digital formats. We also hope the project will serve institutions and organizations working on Kurdish language, culture, and the arts. A dedicated mobile team was formed for this purpose. In Turkey and Kurdistan, project coordinator Cumhur Ölmez led the recording process, accompanied by Azad Doğru, who handled video and audio capture, lighting, photography, editing, and post-production. For contributors living in Europe, recordings were completed in Cologne and Berlin. A dedicated YouTube channel has also been launched, where each divan will be published alongside its full transcription. The videos were specially designed for this platform.”
A struggle best expressed through a song
Hakan Akay described Cegerxwîn as a figure whose influence spans literature, politics, philosophy, and history: “Cegerxwîn was among the first poets to write about Kurdish women and their awakening, not merely with slogans, but through deeply rooted literary expression. When his poetry merged with music, it opened a cultural and emotional path for Kurdish political awareness. His words found their way into homes that political discourse had never reached. He was not only a poet, but also a political thinker, a historian, a philosopher, and a committed socialist. Shaped by the socialist ideals of his time, he infused his poetry with the critical lens of that worldview. In every line, you can feel the clarity and courage of someone who believed in justice and equality. In today’s context, when we reflect on the Kurdish struggle and how far it has come, it becomes clear that culture and art are not just complementary, but essential. This resistance can be expressed through a novel, a powerful song, a moving stran, or an enduring klam. That depth, that truth, lives in the work of Cegerxwîn. His voice still speaks the language of our time.”
A composition competition will follow the project
Hakan Akay noted that their work on Cegerxwîn would soon expand into new territory. He said, “As part of this project. We plan to translate 25 selected poems into Turkish, German, English, and French. These will be poems we have carefully chosen. But more importantly, we want to see them transformed into music. So, we are preparing to launch a composition competition that will invite new generations of artists to engage creatively with Cegerxwîn’s poetry. That is what we are working on now.”
Akay also revealed that they are preparing a follow-up project involving rare archival material: “After completing this phase, we plan to revisit the archival recordings of stran (traditional Kurdish song) and klam (traditional Kurdish lyric song) from Radio Yerevan that we published in 2020. The idea is to reintroduce these cultural treasures in poetic form. By doing this, we will offer a rich repertoire to the artistic community, allowing these jewels of oral culture to be rediscovered and interpreted once again as poetry.” In addition, he shared details of another long-term effort: “We are also working on a project that will publish the lyrics of all dengbêj songs featured in the Kurdistan Dengbêj (traditional Kurdish bardic singer) Anthology, which is built on the foundational heritage of Kurdish culture. This effort involves recording each song as a poem, and it is now nearing completion. The anthology, which has taken years to prepare, is being curated by Cewad Merwanî. Once the publication phase begins, we will share more in-depth information about both the anthology itself and Cewad Merwanî’s contributions to our world of culture and art.”
Credits
Production: Kurdish-German Cultural Institute
Production concept and artistic consultant: Hakan Akay
Project coordinator and language expert: Cumhur Ölmez
Video, lighting, sound recording, editing and montage: Azad Dogru
Digital design and artwork: K.A – Cultural Institute
Mastering and editing: Philipp Wessler
Official Cegerxwîn YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCkYC7Y9MU4zoKjCUH33pPYQ
Source: ANF News
