Kurdish publishing in Turkey

In the year 2010 at least 115 Kurdish books were published in Turkey. The number of books published in Kurdish in 2007 was 109, and 97 were published in 2008. The 2010 figure is slightly down from 2009 (118 books), but marks an upward trend in publishing in Kurdish, particularly since 1990.

Lîs Publishing House (Weşanên Lîs) published the most books with 21 copies, Avesta Publications printed 17 and Do publications 16. A substantial increase in the number of books translated into Kurdish accounts for much of the overall rise in numbers. Lîs, for example, translated 10 books into Kurdish.

From 1923 to 1970 only six books were published. From 1971-1979, ten books. There were no books in Kurdish published in Turkey from 1980 to 1989 (the coup and subsequent years). During the 90s, 212 books were published. And from 2000-2005, 367 books.

Recently Kurdish publishers have been specialising in certain fields. For example, Nûbihar Publishing House mainly publishes religious literature, Lîs and Belki publish fiction, and Vate Publishing House focuses on books in the Kırmancki (Zazakî) dialect.

Kurdish books published in Turkey typically sell between 100 to 1000 copies a year. Some of the best selling books are dictionaries and grammar books, such as Ferhengok Kurdî-Tirkî (Pocket Kurdish-Turkish dictionary, Welat Publishing House) and Dersên Zimanê Kurdî (Lessons in Modern Kurdish, Deng Publishing House). The pocket dictionary in 2002-2003 had a print run of 13,500.

In recent years some Kurdish publishing houses and Kurdish periodicals have moved their centres to Diyarbakır, and new publishing houses have been established there. Of the publishing houses with central offices in Diyarbakır, Deng, Bîr, Lîs and Belki, the last three were founded between 2003 and 2005. Previously all Kurdish publishers had been based in Istanbul and Ankara.

Here is a list (from 2006) of Kurdish publishers, opening date, and address:

Aram Publishing House (Weşanên Aram)-1997
Cağaloğlu Yokuşu Hobyar Mah.
Cemal Nadir Sok. Uğur Han No: 18/305
Eminönü/İstanbul

Avesta Publishing House (Weşanên Avesta)-1995
Avesta has published more Kurdish books than any other publishing company.
Evliya Çelebi Mah.
Aybastı Sok. No: 48/4
Beyoğlu/İstanbul
Tel: 0090/212 251 44 80

Bîr Publishing House (Weşanên Bîr)-2005
İnönü Cad. Ma-Gül İş Merkezi No: 49
Dağkapı/Diyarbakır
Tel: 0090/412 228 78 28

Deng Publishing House (Weşanên Deng)-1989
Kurt İsmail Paşa 5. Sok.
Fırat 5 Apt. No: 2/1
Ofis/Diyarbakır
Tel: 0090/412 223 89 23

Doz Publishing House (Weşanên Doz)-1990
Taksim Cad. No: 71/5
80090 Beyoğlu/İstanbul
Tel: 0090/212 297 25 05

Elma Publishing House (Weşanên Elma)-2002
İlk Belediye Caddesi 37/6
Tünel/İstanbul
Tel: 0090/212 243 01 56

Kurdish Institute in Istanbul (Weşanên Enstîtuya Kurdî ya Stenbolê)-1992
Mesih Paşa Mah. Ordu Cad.
Hadi Han. No: 305 K: 5
Laleli-Eminönü/İstanbul

Komal Publishing House (Weşanên Komalê)-1974
Katip Mustafa Çelebi Mah.
Hasnun Galip Sok.
Uğur Apt. No: 25 Kat: 3 Daire: 4
Beyoğlu/İstanbul
Tel: 0212 243 83 97

Lîs Publishing House (Weşanên Lîs)-2004
Ma-Gül İş Merkezi Kat:1 No: 66
Dağkapı/Diyarbakır
Tel: 0090/412 228 97 76

Nûbihar Publishing House (Weşanên Nûbihar)-1992
P. K. 80 Fatih İstanbul

Pêrî Publishing House (Weşanên Pêrî)-1997
Osman Ağa Mah. Söğütlü Çeşme Cad.
Pavlonya Sok. No: 10/19
Kadıköy/İstanbul
Tel: 0090/216 347 26 44

Vate Publishing House (Weşanxaneyê Vateyî)-2003
Katip Mustafa Çelebi Mah.
Tel Sok. No: 18 Kat: 3
Beyoğlu/İstanbul
Tel: 0090/212 244 94 14

Sources:

Malmisanij, Mehemed (2006). The Past and Present of Book Publishing in Kurdish Language in Turkey. Next Page Foundation.

Books published in Kurdish on the increase. Firat News Agency, 04 January 2010. (Translation: Berna Ozgencil)