Valentina Korçari Muka
Writer and Translator
Valentina Korçari Muka, born in 1958 in Kuçovë, Albania, comes from a family devoted to education, with her father, Koço Korçari, honored as a “Teacher of the People.” Despite pursuing a career in veterinary medicine and working in Berat for over 20 years, Valentina's true passion has always been literature and translation.
In 2004, after moving to Canada with her children, she adapted by learning English and later graduated with honors in Early Childhood Education. Her literary journey culminated in 2023 with the publication of her autobiographical novel, Udhet e Eves, later translated into English as Eva's Life Paths in 2024. She has also translated numerous works of Albanian authors into English, including pieces by Kadri Kuke, Ylli Polovina, and Leon Lekaj, and is currently translating Albanian Anthology by Zekerija Idrizi.
Valentina finds joy and peace in her translation work, which allows her to connect her Albanian heritage with new audiences. She is the proud mother of two children and a grandmother of six, passing on her love for Albanian language and culture to future generations.
Valentina Korçari Muka has translated into English a range of works by Albanian authors, including:
A Man Who Cries, by Kadri Kuke
The Resurrection of the Sejkos, by Ylli Polovina
The Accordion Will No Longer Play, by Leon Lekaj
Crossed Pentagrams, by Leon Lekaj
Albanians: A Different People, by Ylli Polovina
Book of Poems, by Sokol Demaku (Sweden)
The Magic Flute, a children’s picture book by Ana Tisi
Don’t Kill My Polar Bears, by Viktoria Xhako (Germany)
Eva’s Life Paths, an autobiography by Valentina Korçari Muka
Her dedicated work in translation helps bring Albanian literature and culture to a broader international audience, fostering the promotion of Albanian language and heritage.