Renovation ongoing
Sulaymaniyah to convert Sherko Bekas’s home into a museum
SULAYMANIYAH — The home of renowned Kurdish poet Sherko Bekas in Sulaymaniyah’s Ashti neighborhood is being transformed into a museum. The three-story residence, which has been under renovation for nearly a year, is set to open in early August and will display the poet’s personal items, literary works, and manuscripts.
Halo Sherko Bekas, the poet’s son, shared with 964media that the first floor of the museum will showcase Sherko’s personal belongings, while the second and third floors will be dedicated to his books and manuscripts. Work currently focuses on cataloging and labeling books and installing an audio system to enrich visitors’ experiences.
Sherko Bekas, born on May 2, 1940, in Sulaymaniyah, often referred to as Kurdistan’s cultural capital, was a pivotal figure in Kurdish national identity and literature. His extensive oeuvre spans over 40 poetry collections, comprising thousands of pages that explore themes of homeland, freedom, justice, women’s rights, and the tragedies of Halabja and Anfal.
In the 1970s, Bekas co-founded the Rwanga Group, significantly contributing to the modernization of Kurdish poetry. His impact reached international levels, evidenced by his receipt of Swedish PEN’s Tucholsky Prize in 1988, putting him in the company of literary figures such as Salman Rushdie and Svetlana Alexievich.
German museum designer Michael Fehr, renowned for his work on globally recognized museums, is overseeing the museum’s design. Fehr, who has visited Sulaymaniyah several times, is expected to finalize the design soon. Halo noted his father’s emphasis on preserving cultural heritage, recalling a visit they made to the home of writer August Strindberg in Stockholm. Sherko had humorously remarked that one day his belongings might be preserved similarly—a sentiment now becoming reality with the museum.
Sherko Bekas, who described cigarettes as his muse, continued smoking despite battling lung cancer, which contributed to his death on August 4, 2013, at age 73. Before his passing, he expressed a wish to be buried in Sulaymaniyah’s Azadi Park, a place he envisioned as vibrant with music and cafes, echoing the cultural richness he cherished.
His legacy continues through the Sardam Publishing House, which he founded in 1998 and remains active, and his monumental collection of works completed in 2009, totaling 8,000 pages. His final project, “Memories of a Kirkuki Bicycle,” remained unfinished at his death.
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