NORŞÎN ABDİ

Kobanê – 25-year-old Avin Tayfur is an academic at the university in Kobanê. She is a blogger and writes stories for children.

‘I spent my childhood reading books’

Avin Tayfur’s writing journey started when she was a child. “I loved reading stories and novels and books on children’s literature when I was a child. My determination to be a writer allowed me to realize my dream. When I was a child, I collected money to buy books. I spent my childhood reading books. I have read thousands of books.”

        

‘Reading Kurdish books was not easy for me’

Avin Tayfur wanted to read Kurdish books; however, her Kurdish reading was not good so she decided to study Kurdish language at the Kurdish Language and Literature Department between 2016 and 2018. “I learned Kurdish. I did research on Kurdish language and literature. Reading Kurdish books was not easy for me because I learned only Arabic at school. It was very difficult for me but I have learned.”

‘My short story collection was published’

Avin Tayfur read more than two thousands books between the ages of 14-25. “I did research on Kurdish stories, magazines and literature. I wrote a children’s book. In 2022, my short story collection of six stories was published. ‘The Journey of the Bird’ and ‘The Story of the Mouse’ are two of these stories. On October 15, my two books will be published one translated from Arabic into Kurdish by writer Hanna Mina. I work on writing other children’s books. I work on another short story collection of 10 stories.”

‘Children’s books should be written carefully’

Avin Tayfur was first afraid of the idea of publishing a book and a collection of poems about children's literature. “In 2019, I joined an online group of teachers on children’s literature. Writing children’s books is very difficult but important. Children’s books should be written carefully,” she said, emphasizing how reading, culture and literature are very important for every woman. “When women read, they preserve their literature, culture and heritage. Reading can liberate women from patriarchal mindset and slavery.”