November, 2011

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.
Abai

Abai addressed these heartfelt lines to the generations to come, to his countrymen for whom he strove to pave the way to a more enlightened, better life. Fie carried his poetry like a burning torch through the gloom of ignorance and prejudice that enveloped the Kazakh steppes, revealing new horizons to his people and the promise of a new dawn.
To his milieu he was a puzzle. But to us he is very clearly the luminary of Kazakh literature, the light of Kazakh poetry. Now that Kazakhstan has acquired statehood, and the Kazakhs—their proud national identity, Abai has found appreciative and enlightened readers where once he was denied understanding. He is read and admired by all the peoples of our great socialist state. &#82&#101&#97&#100&#32&#109&#111&#114&#101 »

June 23, 1904 in Chyngys mountain of Semipalatinsk district died in the native steppe popular Kirghiz poet Abai Kunanbayev. His pen-name is Ibrahim (Abraham), but the Kirghiz steppe, following the poet’s mother, gave him tender name Abai and that we keep him.
Abai’s father was from the generation of well-known leaders and biys of clan Tobykty. His great-grandfather Yrgyzbay was Tobykty biy and warrior, who was named by the name of the river Yrgyz in Torgai region where he was born in the 50th of the XVІІ century, one of the few leaders of his generation brought Tobykty clan from Turkistan to Chingis Mountains, representing excellent pastures for cattle. His grandfather Oskenbai was a fair biy, people from different clans came for fair resolution of disputes. Abai’ father had an enormous influence on other Kyrgyz clans, which was confirmed at the election of Kunanbay as a head of sultans in Karkarala region. &#82&#101&#97&#100&#32&#109&#111&#114&#101 »

In 1913 in three issues of the newspaper “Kazakh” published Akhmet Baitursinov’s article «The main poet of the Kazakhs”. In it, he first called Abai the great lump of his time, explains the depth of his poetry, the breadth of subjects, special skills in versification and reveals the poet’s connection with Russian literature and the aesthetic value of Abai. &#82&#101&#97&#100&#32&#109&#111&#114&#101 »

Address by Mr Federico Mayor
Director-General of the United Nations Educational,
Scientific and Cultural organization
(UNESCO) on the occasion of the celebration,
at the Palace of the Republic of Kazakhstan, of the
150th anniversary of the birth of Abai Kunanbayev
Almaty, 9 August 1995

Mr President of the Republic of Kazakstan,
Excellencies,
Ministers,
Distinguished representatives,
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is truly an honour for me to be with you today, in the independent and sovereign Republic of Kazakhstan, to commemorate the hundred and fiftieth anniversary of the birth of the man in whom the genius of the Kazak people found its fullest expression – Abai Kunanbayev. I wish to thank you, Mr. President, and through you the Government and people of Kazakhstan, for inviting me to participate in this forum of national reflection and recollection. &#82&#101&#97&#100&#32&#109&#111&#114&#101 »

For those who collect information on the biography of my father, will be needed data about his character, lifestyle, about how he looked like: an expression of his face, clothes, gait, speech, was he pleased or indignant. Among the contemporaries of my father there were a few people who know how to write. So I had to involuntarily take up the pen. Although, to my notions, writing about the nature and habits of the father is not quite decent.
Before, I never wrote these things and also have never seen or read a book of memories. I want to take the father’s character as a whole and, gradually, pondering, open it as far as I can. Azamat, who will need my words, will find from the heap of bales and choose the right material and cut out what he wants. &#82&#101&#97&#100&#32&#109&#111&#114&#101 »