The 9th TUYAP Book Fair in Amed has come to an end. Due to the economic crisis, both book sales and overall interest in books were low, and participation was significantly lower than in previous years. Both publishers and readers left the fair dissatisfied, and interest in books written in Kurdish and Kurmanji was particularly weak. Publishers emphasized that Kurdish readers exist, but their numbers are not increasing, and they called on people to embrace their mother tongue, saying: “Read, speak, and write.”
Kurdish publishing must increase
Ömer Barasi, a writer for Vate, a magazine publishing in Kurmanji, said that the lack of interest in Kurdish books poses a serious problem. Barasi added: “I regret to say that our people do not show much interest in Kurdish books. This situation is a major obstacle to the advancement of Kurdish publishing. Our people must protect their language, because writers and publishers put great effort and time into their books. Therefore, people should take an interest in books so that Kurdish publishing can progress.”
Barasi also stressed that institutions should support Kurdish publishing houses, saying: “Our people should come and support their publishers. Our institutions should also provide backing so that Kurdish-language publishing can move forward.”
Bawer Başev, General Coordinator of Pirtukakurdi and Dara Publishing, drew attention to the status of the Kurdish language and said that more effort is needed for its development, adding: “We must work and struggle for the status of Kurdish. I’ve been doing this work for about 25 years. There are Kurdish readers, but their number neither increases nor decreases. During the peace process, everyone’s interest in books had grown. That interest must be revived again.”
Kurdish should become an official language of education
Başev emphasized that Kurdish should become an official language of education, saying: “First of all, Kurdish must be an official language of education and gain official status. Everyone must do their part. It’s not enough for just a few people to buy books. We must increase reading, writing, and speaking in Kurdish and spread this in our surroundings. We should read to our children in Kurdish and make them speak it. Once this awareness develops, interest in both books and the Kurdish language will grow.”
Efforts are needed
Eighteen-year-old Kurdish book reader Zin Jinda said that despite her young age, she follows Kurdish books and strives to keep her mother tongue alive. Jinda said: “Unfortunately, Kurdish books are not read as much as Turkish ones. People call for protecting the mother tongue, but they neither buy books nor speak Kurdish with their children. Every year, I buy and read Kurdish books. Today I came here to buy a children’s book; I will read it to my niece so that she too will embrace her mother tongue.”
The young reader highlighted the importance of mother-tongue awareness, adding: “People who embrace and develop their mother tongue are more successful in life. To improve oneself, one must first learn and read in their native language. With this awareness, we can also render assimilation policies ineffective.”