ERBIL, Kurdistan Region - From translating Kurdish poetry into Finnish to raising trilingual children, Soran Zaki’s journey from Kurdish areas of western Iran to Helsinki is one of cultural preservation and cross-cultural bridge-building. As one of Finland’s first Kurdish interpreters and the author of nearly 20 books, he has made Kurdish language and history more accessible while preserving it within his own family.
“When I first came to Finland, apart from a Finnish-Persian dictionary, there were no other materials to help with learning the language. I remember the first Finnish language course I attended. There was an Iranian brother studying there who had some handwritten notes about grammar and such. I bought them from him and copied them,” Zaki told Rudaw’s Diaspora program that aired on Friday. “There was nothing else available.”
Zaki decided in 2003 to write a Finnish grammar book in Kurdish. In 2012, he decided to write a more detailed book to learn Finnish with dialogues and exercises. That book was translated into Arabic and Farsi as well.
While he was studying pedagogy at the University of Helsinki, he decided to write a book for those who want to learn Kurdish.
Zaki has also translated Kurdish literature into Finnish.
“I have translated more than a hundred of Sherko's poems in five publications. The first was in 2019, when Mr. Halo Sherko Bekas also came here,” he said.
Sherko Bekas was a renowned Kurdish poet from Sulaimani, known for pioneering modern Kurdish poetry and for blending personal, political, and nature themes in his work. He often used free verse to break traditional poetic forms. His poetry, widely translated, is celebrated for its emotional depth and resistance to oppression.
Zaki has translated several of Berkas’ works: “The first is ‘The Butterfly of the Soul Cannot Be Caught,’ the second ‘By Our Riverside’ in Finnish, the third ‘Gallery of My Heart.’ Another is ‘Little Mirrors,’ and also a story by Sherko for children, ‘The Trembling Partridge.’”
Besides poetry, he has translated many Kurdish non-fiction books.
“I have translated several books by Mr. Arif Qurbani about Anfal, testimonies of Anfal survivors. The first one is "Taymur," as the sole survivor of the mass graves of women and children,” he said.
Zaki’s children are trilingual. Their mother is Chinese, their father Kurdish, and they were born and raised in Finland. He said his children know Kurdish very well and he has put a lot of importance on preserving their culture in an environment with many influences.
“I was speaking Kurdish with them while they were still in their mother's womb,” he said.
Zaki’s work spans language education, literature, and cultural preservation, making him a key figure in promoting Kurdish identity in Finland. Through textbooks, translations, and children’s stories, he has introduced Kurdish language and history to Finnish readers while ensuring his own children grow up fluent in Kurdish. His efforts reflect a broader mission to preserve Kurdish heritage across borders and generations.
