Yaşar Kemal

Who is Yashar Kamal?

Yaşar Kemal is one of Türkiye's most prominent novelists of the twentieth century. In his writings, he combined the modern novel with folk tales, myths and songs that he knew in his childhood, and made Çukurova, its inhabitants and its nature an essential part of his literary world. He wrote mainly in Turkish, while his family roots were Kurdish.

Kurdish roots and family

His family came from the village of Ernes, known today as Onsley, near Loch Wan. During World War I, she moved to Çukurova and settled in the village of Hamita, whose population was mostly Turkmen. The TEİS Literary Encyclopedia of Ahmet Yasoy University states that Yaşar Kemal grew up speaking Kurdish at home and Turkish in the village. Therefore, he is presented here as a novelist from a Kurdish family whose literary production was mainly written in Turkish.

A tough childhood

He lost one of his eyes when he was young following an accident, and when he was about five years old, he witnessed the killing of his father at the hands of someone the family had adopted. The TEİS Encyclopedia states that he stuttered after that and continued until about twelve. During his childhood, he became close to folk poetry, songs, and stories circulated orally.

From folk songs to literature

Since his youth, he has been interested in collecting songs, elegies, and folk tales in the villages of Cukurova. In 1943, he published his first book, “Ağıtlar,” or “Elegies,” which was the result of this field work. The influence of oral tale, nature and folk language remained evident in his later novels.

Dozens of professions before fame

He left middle school before completing it, and worked in various jobs that included farming, teaching, and working in a library. The TDV Encyclopedia states that he practiced about forty professions until 1950. This allowed him to come into contact with peasants, workers, and village residents, whose world would appear in his literature.

Go to the press

He moved to Istanbul and began working for Cumhuriyet newspaper in 1951, using the name “Yaşar Kemal” in his journalistic writings. He wrote investigations and reports that helped him learn about various regions and social groups and developed his ability to observe and describe.

Ince Memed - İnce Memed

The novel “İnce Memed” was published as a book in 1955, and it became his most famous work, and then the story of its hero extended into four parts. It revolves around a rural young man who rebels against the authority of an aghast and the injustice of the peasants. In it, Yashar Kemal mixed social realism with the construction of folk tales and epics, and raised questions about land, power, justice, and freedom.

From Çukurova to the world

His works were transmitted to readers outside Türkiye through translations, and he became one of the country's most famous writers internationally. Besides “Ince Memmed”, he wrote works such as “Teneke”, “Yer Demir Gök Bakır”, “Ağrı Dağı Efsanesi”, “Binboğalar Efsanesi”, “Kuşlar da Gitti”, “Deniz Küstü” and “Ortadirek”. The themes of nature, the village, poverty, migration, myth and popular memory recur.

Nature in his literature

In many of his novels, the mountains, plains, rivers, and plants were not just a backdrop to events; Rather, it contributed to shaping the world of the novel. The Çukurova region, where he grew up and worked, was a major source for his images, combining descriptions of rural society with language drawn from the place and oral heritage.

Yashar Kemal and the Kurdish issue

Yaşar Kemal spoke publicly about the Kurdish issue and freedom of expression in Türkiye. PEN America states that he was summoned to the State Security Court in 1995 against the backdrop of an article published in the German magazine “Der Spiegel.” His literature remained the basis of his international fame, and his defense of freedom of expression and Kurdish rights was another aspect of his public life.

His political activity and awards

participated in left-wing political activity in Türkiye; The TDV Encyclopedia states that he joined the Turkish Workers’ Party in 1962, and was one of the founders of “Ant” magazine in 1967. During his career, he received numerous literary awards and honors. His name was nominated or proposed for the Nobel Prize in Literature, but he did not win it.

His death and legacy

He died in Istanbul on February 28, 2015 after a literary career that spanned decades. “Ince Memmed” remains the work most associated with his name, and his impact remains present in the literature of Turkey and the world thanks to its combination of the heritage of oral storytelling and the modern novel.

Why do we remember Yashar Kemal?

Because his experience combined Kurdish roots, oral heritage, the Anatolian environment, Çukurova, journalism, and the novel. He came from a small village and worked in many professions, then transferred peasant life, nature, myths and social conflicts into works that reached a global audience.