Julia Gjika

Julia Gjika
Born Julia Naçi
1 July 1949
Gjirokastra, Albania
Occupation Poet
Language Albanian
Nationality Albanian

Julia Gjika (born 1949) is an Albanian-born poet living in the United States.[1] She is one of the few writers publishing in the Albanian language and writes poetry as well working as a journalist. Her poems have been praised by her peers and have been included in several publications of collected works.

Biography

Julia Naçi[2] was born 1 July 1949 in Gjirokastra, Albania[3] during the Enver Hoxha dictatorship, which imposed strict sanctions and censorship on literature allowing no development of literary markets until the 1970s.[4] In spite of the ban, Gjika studied finance at Ushrarake Academy[3] and Albanian literature at university.[5]

She served as editor of the magazine 10 Korriku (July 10) and was chief financial officer in various military units in Korca and Tirana.[3] She was one of a group of "military poets," women who served together in the Albanian military and wrote poems, which included award-winning poet Iliriana Sulkuqi.[2] Gjika published two works in Albania, her first book Ditëlindje (Birthday) in 1971 and the second Ku Gjej Poezinë (Where I Find Poetry) in 1978.[5]

She immigrated to the United States in 1996[1] and took advantage of the absence of censorship. She is a regular contributor to the press of the Albanian-American diaspora in such works as Dielli and Iliria as well as in the Albanian publications Shqip and Korça, in which she writes about the lives of immigrants in America and other places the diaspora have settled, culture, and social issues.[6]

Gjika's work is well respected by her peers in eastern Europe and has been included in published collections of poetic works. Jan M. Stuchly, a Moravian lawyer and writer, has published three collections of poems from those he considers to be "masterpieces." He included Gjika's work in his 1998 collection.[7] A recent publication by Raimonda Moisiu, Letrat shqip këndej e përtej Atlantikut (Letters Slip Here and Across the Atlantic) included works by Gijika, in his attempt to preserve those voices he deems "masters of dialogue and conversation, who communicate artistic values".[8]

She is married to the scientist Thanas Gjika[3] and has a daughter.[5]

Selected works

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "In Conversation with Myself". Center for the Art of Translation.
  2. 1 2 Gavani, Eva (October 12, 2007). ""...Një shportë sa Qielli - me Dashuri..."" (in Albanian). Albanian Women's World Magazine. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  3. 1 2 3 4 "nga Flori Bruqi:Kush është Julia Fjika (1949-Jeton)" (in Albanian). Agjencioni Floripress. August 2008. Retrieved 27 March 2015.
  4. ↑ Waltz, Vicky. "Writing and Wanderlust". Boston University. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  5. 1 2 3 Gjika, Ani (5 April 2011). "Introduction to "In Conversation with Myself" by Julia Gjika". Center for the Art of Translation. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  6. ↑ lajmin, Vlerësoni (August 30, 2013). "Gazetaret femra shqiptare në SHBA dhe Diasporë, ose heroinat e heshtura me penë..." (in Albanian). SOT News. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  7. ↑ Wojdała, Stanisław Dariusz, ed. (November 15, 2012). "BIOGRAFIA - Jan M. Stuchly" (PDF). zamekpiastowski. Retrieved 26 March 2015.
  8. ↑ Buzhala, Prend (February 10, 2014). "61 Intervistat e Raimonda Moisiut, Ura Bashkimi Diaspore& Atdhe". Dielli. Retrieved 25 March 2015.
  9. ↑ Gjika, Julia (2008). Muzg: (vëllim poetik). Snaj. ISBN 978-99943-847-9-2.
  10. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 "Présentation succincte des notices trouvées" (in Albanian). Biblioteka Kombëtare e Shqipërisë.
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