A Poet in Exile

CHOMAN HARDI is the first poet in residence at the Moniack Mhor Writer’s Centre. JOHN BURNS profiles the poet and her role within the new developments taking place at the centre.

ALL WRITERS are shaped by their experiences. Choman Hardi’s experiences as a refugee and the trauma of the Kurdish people to whom she belongs have left an indelible mark on her writing. Choman was born in southern Kurdistan, now part of Iraq, but her family was forced to flee to Iran when she was still a small child. Her family returned to Iraq when Choman was five only to be forced to flee once more in 1988 when chemical weapons were used against the Kurds.

Those of us who were born in the UK are fortunate in that few of us can have experienced such trauma in our lives. Choman began writing as a child and has fond memories of her father, Ahmed Hardi, a well-known Kurdish poet. “My poetry started with my father,” she recalls, “his regular recital of poetry at moments of anger, sadness and laughter has had the greatest effect on me.” Choman’s family came to England in 1993 and subsequently she studied philosophy and psychology at Queen’s college Oxford and gained an MA in philosophy from University College London.

She has published three collections of poetry in Kurdish commencing with Return with no memory (Denmark 1996). Bloodaxe published her first collection of poetry in English in October of 2003.

Choman has great experience in facilitating creative writing workshops having run groups for the British Council in the UK, Belgium, the Czech Republic, India and Switzerland. Much of her work has been with refugees and often with women. Many people come to writing through personal trauma. The ability to express one’s feelings in poetry and prose can be cathartic, and is often an important part of a healing process. Choman is aware of this in her own life and in helping others whose lives have been disrupted. Far from being hardened by her experiences she displays a great sensitivity towards the pain of others.

Choman’s work is accessible but also has a depth of feeling in it that reveals her sensitivity. Choman’s residency at Moniack Mhor will continue until the end of May. Her placement there is part of the centre’s new development strategy and a large part of Choman’s role is to forge links between the centre and communities in the Highlands and Islands. Moniack Mhor, situated just outside Inverness near Kiltarlity, is Scotland’s only dedicated writing centre. The centre has been offering courses for over nine years and hosts training courses in many different kinds of writing including poetry, short story writing, writing for television and many other types of literature.

Until now the centre has only opened its doors during the summer months but, as part of a major expansion at the centre, the intention is to run courses year round. As well as expanding the centre’s opening part of the plan is to substantially enhance the facilities at Moniack Mhor by upgraded the accommodation, improving IT facilities, making the centre more accessible for people with disabilities and providing a performance space to provide possibilities for further media and theatre courses.

Choman’s residency is part of the centre’s drive to develop outreach services within the Highlands. “I have always felt an affinity with Scotland,” Choman explained, speaking of her decision to come to the Highlands, “I think there are many parallels between Scotland and my native Kurdistan. The land has the same rugged feel to it and the history of Scotland has been one of oppression and struggle in some ways similar to the experiences of the Kurdish people.”

As part of her residency Choman has attended poetry performance and writing workshops throughout the Highlands and Islands. Her residency has offered writers in the Highlands a unique opportunity to work with a very skilled and insightful poet whose talents are still developing and gaining recognition.

© John Burns, 2004