Zülfü Livaneli: 'Nazım Hikmet is our Pushkin'

Author Zülfü Livaneli drew attention to the political turmoil and the irony of bans in Turkey, stating, "Turkey is a country of contradictions. It is a good thing they don't appoint trustees to poets, because there can be no trustee for Nazım."

Emphasizing the poet's contributions to the Turkish language and literature, Livaneli used the expressions, "Nazım is the windpipe of our language, he is our lighthouse."

Speaking to İpek Özbey from Sözcü, Livaneli also touched upon how Nazım Hikmet's works evolved from being banned books to becoming the common heritage of society over time.

Sharing his memories regarding the period when he first composed music for Nazım's poems, Livaneli said, "In 1978, 'Nazım Türküsü' was released. The album immediately became number one, and everyone started listening to it."

'WE EMERGED FROM HIS SCARF'

Livaneli conveyed how Nazım Hikmet's poetry served as a source of inspiration for him through the words of Abidin Dino, who said, "I could not paint the picture of happiness, Nazım, the time has not yet come. But Zülfü is just about to capture happiness in his music..."

Stating that Nazım Hikmet's cultural and artistic legacy is important not only for Turkey but for the world as well, Livaneli emphasized the poet's universal value by saying, "We all emerged from Nazım's scarf; he is our Pushkin."