İKBAL KAYNAR

Born in Uşak, she completed her primary education in various districts of the province and her high school education at Uşak Teacher Training High School, as her father was a teacher (specifically, a literature teacher trained at the Village Institutes). After graduating from the English Department of Eskişehir Education Institute, she began her career as an English teacher at Manyas High School in 1979. In 1980, she faced legal proceedings, as did many democrats, and was kept away from her beloved teaching profession for ten years. Throughout this period, literature, music, and folk dance remained integral parts of her life. Her passion for singing and literature, initially pursued as hobbies, evolved further as she began writing lyrics, composing music, and performing on stage. In 1990, she was appointed to a position in Istanbul, where she worked at Kartal High School and Fenerbahçe High School before retiring in 2000. During this time, she wrote articles, essays, poems, and travelogues for newspapers and magazines such as “Cumhuriyet” and “BirGün”. At the schools where she worked, she organized poetry and music groups with students and held recitals. She also conducted talks and performances in various locations both in Turkey and abroad.

She won second prize in the Kaygusuz Abdal competition for her poem “Kadınım Ben” (I Am a Woman); a jury special award in the “Bin Çiçekli Yaşar Kemal” Poetry and Story Competition for her story “Yılbaşı Armağanı” (New Year’s Gift); and an award in the Folklore category of the Yaşar Kemal Poetry, Story, and Folklore Competition for her research article titled “Yakın Coğrafyamızdan ve Bizden Mücadeleci Kadınlar ve Kadınlar Niçin Yazmalı” (Fighting Women from Our Region and Among Us, and Why Women Should Write).

She is a member of MESAM, BESAM, TYS, the Association of Writers (KYD – Association of Women Writers), and the Cemal Süreya Culture and Arts Association. Continuing her work in music and literature, İkbal Kaynar currently hosts the program “Ebruli Saatler with İkbal Kaynar” on Kanal Ada Television.