Salih Agir Qoserî: Kurdish literature in Europe was created through exile, not through diaspora
19.10.2025Arjen Arî, the pioneer poet of modern Kurdish literature, was commemorated on the 13th anniversary of his death
Arjen Arî, one of the most important figures in modern Kurdish literature, was commemorated at his grave in Diyarbakır Yeniköy Cemetery on the 13th anniversary of his death. The commemoration ceremony was attended by Arî’s family, friends, and many Kurdish writers and poets. Participants laid carnations on Arî’s grave, commemorating his poetry and contributions to literature.
“Arjen Arî lives on in his mountains and his poetry”
Speaking at the commemoration, Armanc Dayan emphasized that Arjen Arî’s legacy is still alive in Kurdish literature:
“Thirteen years ago, Arjen Arî took his leave and departed from us, but he is still among us through his poems. In my opinion, Arjen Arî did not leave; he lives on in his mountains, his homeland, and his poems.”
The poet Berken Bereh described Arjen Arî as a “modern prince”:
“He was not just a poet; he lived like a prince in his homeland with his lifestyle, clothing, and traditions. Our mountains became Arjen, Arjen became our mountains. Many young people are following in his footsteps.”
“He was a white-faced mountain”
Arjen Arî’s sister, Nejla Arî, expressed her feelings with these words:
“He was not just my brother. We are happy that his poems are read and shared by younger generations.”
Ömer Fidan, a member of the Kurdish PEN Executive Board, described Arjen Arî as a “white-faced mountain” in Kurdish poetry:
“In an interview, he said, ‘When I pick up my pen, I wander from mountain to mountain.’ Arjen Arî was the poet of the white mountains, both in his poetry and in his soul.”
He left a lasting mark on Kurdish literature
Born in 1949, Arjen Arî is considered one of the “pioneers of modern Kurdish poetry.” Arî, who explored nature, freedom, love, and the identity of his people in his works, holds a special place in literary history for his contribution to the modern poetic form of the Kurdish language.
As in previous years, his admirers reunited with his poetry this year as well.
“Arjen Arî is not just a poet; he is the voice of a generation, the memory of a people.”
