Cowl of Park So-ran’s poetry assortment “Phrases Near the Coronary heart” / Courtesy of Changbi Publishers
Born in Georgia, Ketevani Barbakadze, winner of this yr’s Commendation Prize in poetry part, grew up an avid reader and author with a deep curiosity in translation.
“Each time I learn a translated poem that moved me, I’d marvel: How would this line really feel within the breath of its personal language? How a lot of the poet’s sincerity was conveyed, and the way a lot remained behind? Not as a result of the translator did a poor job, however as a result of each language expresses emotion in its personal distinctive method — and one thing is at all times misplaced in crossing from one to a different,” she mentioned.
As a baby, she was additionally fascinated by the mythologies of various cultures — a curiosity that ultimately led her to find Korea and the wealthy shamanic traditions of Jeju Island.
“At school, our world historical past curriculum positioned a powerful emphasis on Greek mythology however supplied nearly nothing about East Asian traditions,” she recalled. “As a part of a freshman mission for my world historical past course, I made a decision to discover that lacking half of the world’s creativeness. That search led me to Jeju Island and its mythology — a spot the place shamanic traditions are woven into on a regular basis life, and the place gods aren’t distant rulers however ancestral, native and relational, embodying the spirits of households, villages and pure forces. Jeju’s myths captivated me as a result of, in these tales, people and gods exist on a continuum; the divine is just not unreachable however interwoven with human expertise.”
That early fascination later impressed her to give attention to Korean research for her bachelor’s thesis. In 2021, she got here to Korea by way of the International Korea Scholarship program to check Korean at Daejeon College.
She went on to pursue a grasp’s diploma in Korean Research at Jeju Nationwide College, the place her thesis in contrast the mythology of Greek goddesses with that of Jeju Island.
Reflecting on her encounter with poet Park So-ran’s work, Barbakadze mentioned, “I bear in mind studying ‘Absence’ for the primary time, after which sitting in silence with myself for a protracted whereas after. This poem introduced me an odd consolation — the sensation of being understood by a voice that didn’t know me.”
“Absence” is among the many poems she translated for the award.
“The poems I selected don’t supply heat within the conventional sense, however they’re sincere of their loneliness — and it’s in that honesty that I discover consolation. I needed to share that feeling of discovering understanding in another person’s phrases with readers who may not know the Korean language,” she added.
Now working as a model supervisor at an organization in Paju, Gyeonggi Province, Barbakadze mentioned the award has motivated her to pursue literary translation extra significantly.
“Till now, I’ve translated poems and tales for my very own pleasure, typically sharing fragments on social media,” she mentioned. “However this expertise has given me the braveness to take extra assured steps towards turning into an expert literary translator. If the chance arises, I’m extra keen than ever to take it.”
