Famous Kazakhs
Abylkhair (1693-1748) - is a national Kazakh hero and leader, a talented commander who contributed a great deal to the unification of the three dzhuzez. He was sure that the Kazakh people could only resist the attacks of invaders if the three dzhuzez would live in concord and work together.
Kurmangazy (1818-1889) - was a renowned Kazakh composer and virtuoso of the dombra. He created many wonderful musical compositions. There is a famous Kazakh orchestra named after him in Almaty.
Shokan Valikhanov (1835-1865) - was an outstanding Kazakh scientist, traveler, and researcher. He explored and did research into the culture and history of the peoples of Central Asia, in Kazakhstan and Eastern Turkestan. He was the first scientist to prove that Kazakhs and Kirgizes come from different ethnic groups. In 1857, when he was only 22, he became a member of the Russian Geographic Association in St. Petersburg.
Abai Kunanbayev (1845-1904) – was a prominent Kazakh poet composer, and philosopher. He is considered to be the founder and father of Kazakh literature.
Since early childhood Abai was conversant with the poetry of Saadi, Firdawsi, Nizami, Hafiz, Navoi, Fizuli, Babur; studied logic, philosophy, ethics, oriental history, culture; living in Araltobe, he was well acquainted with Russian and Western literature, enjoyed reading Tolstoy and Saltykov Shchedrin, translated Krylov's fables and Lermontov's verses into Kazakh.
At present Araltobe, the cradle of Kazakh poetry, bears the name of Aigerim, Abai's love, who was born and buried here. Abai wrote about her:
The rose of my heart will never bloom - No matter how brightly the sun shines or the moon glows! For only you I love in the whole world, While I'm only one of many who love you.
These heartfelt lyrical lines, familiar to every Kazakh, reach the innermost depths of human soul.
Look deep into your soul and ponder on my words!
To you I am a puzzle, my person and my verse.
My life has been a struggle, a thousand foes I braved,
Don't judge me too severely - for you the way I paved.
These heart-felt sorrowful lines sound as a welcoming message to the generations to come; they bear the stamp of his genius and of his hard-lived life.
In the history of our thought and literature Abai takes as outstanding a place as the peak of Khan-Tengri, worshiped by the Kazakhs since time immemorial. Majestically mute and enigmatically inaccessible, it glares in the sunlight, embodying all the might and beauty of Nature. Like a super-giant, it towers over the neighboring peaks, whose dazzling height and splendor make Khan-Tengri look all the more resplendent
A few years ago Kazakhstan celebrated his 150th anniversary. You may visit the Abai museum in Semipalatinsk. Dostoyevski's museum is also there. Dostoyevski and Abai were close friends. Abai encouraged the study of the Russian language because he felt it would hasten the development of the Kazakh nation.
Mukhtar Auezov (1897-1961) - known as Mukhtar the Great, was a prominent Kazakh author. He was born in 1897 to a ―family of a nomadic tribe leader.‖ His grandfather taught him to read and write, and at the age of six, Auezov recalled ―he was sitting in his grandfathers yurt and saw written verses for the first time. He was amazed at the fact that songs sung by adults and children could be written on paper.‖ This realization led to his fascination with the arts and ultimately to his wealth of fifty works. Auezov began writing at the age of 20. His works covered almost every genre, including everything from film to novel, tragedy to comedy. He developed a new style in Kazakh literature, using unique language and style, and a way of storytelling that was true to life and history. Critics say, ―Auezov‘s work gave birth to and developed the Kazakh literature and some of its genres.‖ However, it would not be until Auezov wrote his final work, ―The Path of Abai,‖ that he would become truly famous.
In doing research for ―The Path of Abai‖ (Abai being another famous Kazakh author and a role model to Mukhtar), Auezov collected stories from friends and family of Abai. ―As a result, he wrote not just a large biography, but a deep philosophical comprehension of the life of a person seeking for self-realization.‖ After this novel was published, Auezov went from a mere poet to a literary master. There is no other novel found like this one in Kazakhstan‘s history and this shows how important Auezov was in creating Kazakh literature.
Mukhtar Auezov became very famous not only for creating Kazakh literature, but also for connecting with the Kazakh and Central Asian people. It is written, ―probably, Auezov was the only one who could comprise the whole Orient in his writing with all the traditions, customs, steppe colors, love of life and its vivifying principle. This is a very strong statement. The quotation shows how powerful his work is as well as how much he was inspired by his fellow Kazakhs. Further evidence of this can be found in one of his characters in Enlik-Kebek, an early play, when he says, ―Condemned time! The time, when the hero‘s soul is in the wolf‘s jaws…I will search for the truth among my Kazakh people. I will ask them for shelter! I trust them and believe in them!‖ The quote shows how Auezov knows and reaches out to the people of Kazakhstan. In turn the people identify with his characters. This is ultimately how Auezov becomes an important part of Kazakhstan‘s national identity. By writing about what he knows, and by leading the same, difficult life as the Kazakhs lead, Auezov will always be identified as the co-founder of Kazakh literature. Evidence of this is found in front of Kazakh Academic Drama Theatre named after him where a picture of a Kazakh girl who is ―gentle and poetical, courageous and selfless at the same time‖ is carved in the wall.
There are many ways a country celebrates its national identity. In 1997, Kazakhstan did just that by commemorating the 100th year anniversary of Mukhtar the great. However, the important contributions of this great Kazakh writer were not just felt in Kazakhstan, but were felt worldwide. Countries celebrating the 100th year anniversary included France, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Canada and Turkey.
The 50 volumes of his collected works, issued on this occasion, include tragedies and comedies, film dramas, novels and stories. The work of this Kazakh classical write is notable for its conformity to history, fidelity to life, definite description of the time, and unique style and language.
A note left by a visitor of "The Planet of People" International Exhibition in Montreal gives a complete description of Kazakhstan: "Baykonir. Mangyshlak. Auezov."
Kurmangazy (1818-1889) - was a renowned Kazakh composer and virtuoso of the dombra. He created many wonderful musical compositions. There is a famous Kazakh orchestra named after him in Almaty.
Shokan Valikhanov (1835-1865) - was an outstanding Kazakh scientist, traveler, and researcher. He explored and did research into the culture and history of the peoples of Central Asia, in Kazakhstan and Eastern Turkestan. He was the first scientist to prove that Kazakhs and Kirgizes come from different ethnic groups. In 1857, when he was only 22, he became a member of the Russian Geographic Association in St. Petersburg.
Abai Kunanbayev (1845-1904) – was a prominent Kazakh poet composer, and philosopher. He is considered to be the founder and father of Kazakh literature.
Since early childhood Abai was conversant with the poetry of Saadi, Firdawsi, Nizami, Hafiz, Navoi, Fizuli, Babur; studied logic, philosophy, ethics, oriental history, culture; living in Araltobe, he was well acquainted with Russian and Western literature, enjoyed reading Tolstoy and Saltykov Shchedrin, translated Krylov's fables and Lermontov's verses into Kazakh.
At present Araltobe, the cradle of Kazakh poetry, bears the name of Aigerim, Abai's love, who was born and buried here. Abai wrote about her:
The rose of my heart will never bloom - No matter how brightly the sun shines or the moon glows! For only you I love in the whole world, While I'm only one of many who love you.
These heartfelt lyrical lines, familiar to every Kazakh, reach the innermost depths of human soul.
Look deep into your soul and ponder on my words!
To you I am a puzzle, my person and my verse.
My life has been a struggle, a thousand foes I braved,
Don't judge me too severely - for you the way I paved.
These heart-felt sorrowful lines sound as a welcoming message to the generations to come; they bear the stamp of his genius and of his hard-lived life.
In the history of our thought and literature Abai takes as outstanding a place as the peak of Khan-Tengri, worshiped by the Kazakhs since time immemorial. Majestically mute and enigmatically inaccessible, it glares in the sunlight, embodying all the might and beauty of Nature. Like a super-giant, it towers over the neighboring peaks, whose dazzling height and splendor make Khan-Tengri look all the more resplendent
A few years ago Kazakhstan celebrated his 150th anniversary. You may visit the Abai museum in Semipalatinsk. Dostoyevski's museum is also there. Dostoyevski and Abai were close friends. Abai encouraged the study of the Russian language because he felt it would hasten the development of the Kazakh nation.
Mukhtar Auezov (1897-1961) - known as Mukhtar the Great, was a prominent Kazakh author. He was born in 1897 to a ―family of a nomadic tribe leader.‖ His grandfather taught him to read and write, and at the age of six, Auezov recalled ―he was sitting in his grandfathers yurt and saw written verses for the first time. He was amazed at the fact that songs sung by adults and children could be written on paper.‖ This realization led to his fascination with the arts and ultimately to his wealth of fifty works. Auezov began writing at the age of 20. His works covered almost every genre, including everything from film to novel, tragedy to comedy. He developed a new style in Kazakh literature, using unique language and style, and a way of storytelling that was true to life and history. Critics say, ―Auezov‘s work gave birth to and developed the Kazakh literature and some of its genres.‖ However, it would not be until Auezov wrote his final work, ―The Path of Abai,‖ that he would become truly famous.
In doing research for ―The Path of Abai‖ (Abai being another famous Kazakh author and a role model to Mukhtar), Auezov collected stories from friends and family of Abai. ―As a result, he wrote not just a large biography, but a deep philosophical comprehension of the life of a person seeking for self-realization.‖ After this novel was published, Auezov went from a mere poet to a literary master. There is no other novel found like this one in Kazakhstan‘s history and this shows how important Auezov was in creating Kazakh literature.
Mukhtar Auezov became very famous not only for creating Kazakh literature, but also for connecting with the Kazakh and Central Asian people. It is written, ―probably, Auezov was the only one who could comprise the whole Orient in his writing with all the traditions, customs, steppe colors, love of life and its vivifying principle. This is a very strong statement. The quotation shows how powerful his work is as well as how much he was inspired by his fellow Kazakhs. Further evidence of this can be found in one of his characters in Enlik-Kebek, an early play, when he says, ―Condemned time! The time, when the hero‘s soul is in the wolf‘s jaws…I will search for the truth among my Kazakh people. I will ask them for shelter! I trust them and believe in them!‖ The quote shows how Auezov knows and reaches out to the people of Kazakhstan. In turn the people identify with his characters. This is ultimately how Auezov becomes an important part of Kazakhstan‘s national identity. By writing about what he knows, and by leading the same, difficult life as the Kazakhs lead, Auezov will always be identified as the co-founder of Kazakh literature. Evidence of this is found in front of Kazakh Academic Drama Theatre named after him where a picture of a Kazakh girl who is ―gentle and poetical, courageous and selfless at the same time‖ is carved in the wall.
There are many ways a country celebrates its national identity. In 1997, Kazakhstan did just that by commemorating the 100th year anniversary of Mukhtar the great. However, the important contributions of this great Kazakh writer were not just felt in Kazakhstan, but were felt worldwide. Countries celebrating the 100th year anniversary included France, Russia, Kyrgyzstan, Canada and Turkey.
The 50 volumes of his collected works, issued on this occasion, include tragedies and comedies, film dramas, novels and stories. The work of this Kazakh classical write is notable for its conformity to history, fidelity to life, definite description of the time, and unique style and language.
A note left by a visitor of "The Planet of People" International Exhibition in Montreal gives a complete description of Kazakhstan: "Baykonir. Mangyshlak. Auezov."