The poems of Necla Salih Suphi, a prominent figure in Turkish Cypriot literature and a representative of the “Hececi Romantic Poets” movement of the 1940s, have been compiled in a book titled The World Within Me. Her poems were initially gathered during the final months of her life with the support of her daughter, Nilden Eminer. After her passing, additional poems discovered by Eminer were added to complete the collection.
A book launch and signing event took place on Saturday, November 23, at the Turkish Cypriot Community Centre in London. The event was attended by the Deputy Consul of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus Mustafa Erçakıca, representatives of various civil society organizations, and members of the community.
The program, moderated by educator and author Ertanç Hidayettin, featured insights from Nilden Eminer about the book’s creation process. Additionally, some of Necla Salih Suphi’s poems were recited by poets residing in London, followed by a discussion with attendees about the literary aspects of her work.
Who Was Necla Salih Suphi?
Necla Salih Suphi was born on March 23, 1926, in Nicosia, Cyprus. She spent her childhood in Lefke and Nicosia, completing her primary and secondary education at Shakespeare School before attending Victoria Girls’ High School. In 1945, she graduated from the Teachers’ Training College and began working as a teacher of Turkish, Music, and Handicrafts at Ayasofya Primary School. It was during these years that her interest in poetry began to flourish.
In 1974, she emigrated to London with her family. In 1994, she resumed her teaching career at Ali Rıza Değirmencioğlu School in London. Returning to poetry after a long hiatus, Suphi devoted herself to her craft until her passing on November 10, 2000, in London.
Suphi is considered one of the four pioneering female poets who shaped Turkish Cypriot literature, alongside Urkiye Mine Balman, Pembe Marmara, and Emine Hazım Remzi (Engin Gönül).