Haji Qadir Koyi

Quick Facts

• Region: Koya and Istanbul
• Born: 1817, Koya (Koi Sanjaq)
• Died: 1897, Istanbul
• Known for: Advocacy of Kurdish language and identity

Overview

Haji Qadir Koyi was a 19th-century Kurdish poet whose work advocated for Kurdish cultural and political awareness. He is remembered as a pioneering voice of Kurdish nationalism in literature.

His poems often called for education and unity, and he wrote in a language accessible to wider Kurdish audiences.

Life and Work

Koyi traveled widely and spent time in Istanbul, where he engaged with intellectual circles. His poetry circulated across Kurdistan and emphasized the importance of Kurdish language and history.

Legacy

He remains one of the most influential poets of the classical Kurdish tradition and a symbol of early Kurdish modernist thought.