1845 - 1904 Abai Kunanbaev

Abai Kunanbaev Kazakh writer, poet, lyricist, social philosopher. Writings Abai devoted many of his works to the violence of Kazakh labour rights e.g."Oh my Kazakh! My poor people!". Number of works were devoted to youth: "Our children", "Only youth - happy flower of life". And a real treasure is his poems expressing his feelings and love to the nature of his land: "Autumn", "Winter, Fall and etc. As a gifted interpreter Abai gave Kazakh people to enjoy the pearls of russian classic literature. During 15 years he translated more than 50 works of russian writers like Pushkin, Lermontov, Krylov etc. He translated the works of Schiller, Goethe, and Byron into Kazakh language.

Abai Kunanbaev was born in 1845 in the Chinghis Mountains in Semipalatinsk region. He was educated at home and then sent to a medressa where he learned Arabic and Persian and became acquainted with Eastern literature and poetry.

Medressa where he learned

Abai’s father Qunanbay Abai’s mother Ulzhan

Abai with his grandmother Zere

Turagul. Mekaiyl. Izgail. Kenzhe Akylbai. Abdrakhman. Raikhan Abai’s family Dilda Kulbadan AIgerim Turagul. Mekaiyl. Izgail. Kenzhe Akylbai. Abdrakhman. Raikhan Magauiya

Abai with his sons

Abai’s son Akylbai

Abai’s son Magauiya

Abai’s son Turagul

«Kara Sozder» [Book of Words] (prose) created by the great thinker constitute an ethnic philosophical work. This creation of his is an exploration of Kazakh national life in the second half of the 19th century. He influenced social affairs in the country where he lived. Abay created about 170 poems and 56 translations, wrote a poems, "The words of edification" ("Kara sozder").

Word Four Only the weak in spirit will withdraw into themselves abandon themselves to bitter thoughts, without finding the least consolation. Word thirty-eight While you are seeking happiness, everybody wishes you well; But once you have attained it, your only well-wisher is yourself.

Scenes of poems "Masgud" (1887) and "The Legend of Azim", based on motives eastern classical literature. In the poem, "Iskander" contrasted with the mind in the face of Aristotle and greed in the face of the conqueror Alexander Makedonskiy. Abay Kunanbayev was also a talented and original composer. He created about two dozen melodies that are popular these days. Some of his poems Abay Kunanbayev shifted to the music, and sing his poem "Kozіmnіn karasy", ("You are apple of my eyes", translation Maria Petrova) has become a folk. Abay Kunanbayev was an innovator of Kazakh poetry.The innovative nature of the poems are devoted to the seasons: "Spring" (1890), "Summer" (1886), "Autumn" (1889), "Winter" (1888).

Spring Spring came and melted the snow and ice. The earth was covered in soft velvet. Freed from winter's hibernation and heartache all that lives dings with its heart to warmth and light.  The birds fly in and spring entered the blossoming garden, and the youths made a racket like fledglings. The old men rose again as from the grave and are honestly happy to meet again their friends.  The families hurry to their kinsmen in the nearby aul: embraces, exclamations—a happy commotion. Young laughter is carried on the air in triumph. The people have shaken off the winter worries.  Sharp cries come from the she-camels and the lambs bleat in the yard. Butterflies and birds flutter in the ravines. Powerful streams burble, wind and flow under the fixed gaze of trees and flowers.  Swans and geese glide decorously past the banks. The children rush about searching for birds' nests. You gallop on your winged horse. The hawk soars up, its plumage flashing, you strap the prey to your saddle— and the girls playfully block your way.  The young girls' costumes are wonderful. The snowdrops flower and delight the soul. The sparrows in the sky and the nightingales in the ravines sing their songs The cuckoo and thrush echo them from the mountains.  The trading folk come with new goods. The peasants get down to reaping. Everyone is rewarded for their long work and sweat. The flocks multiply with the new young.  What a wonderful world the Creator has given us! He magnanimously and generously gave us his light. When mother-earth fed us from her breast, our Father in heaven thoughtfully inclined over us.  Your soul trusts in the mercy of Allah, who has breathed life with spring into the earth. The cattle have grown fat in the steppe, abundance descends, and man's spirits soar, he comes to from the time of losses. Everything, except for the black rocks, is warm and pulses with life. Everyone is so generous that the skinflints are angry. You follow the rebirth of the world with rapture— the soul finds its stronghold in the Creator.  Old women and men go out in the sun, the children are uproarious. The herds bask in the sun, glossy and well-fed. The trill and chirruping of songbirds flows. The calls of the geese and swans come from the river.  The sunset has faded. The moon and stars triumph. How could the beams of the stars not pierce the darkness. But in anticipation of the return of the sun they pale and lose their sparkle. The sun now, like a bridegroom back from its travels, arranges its bond with the bride-earth. The stars and moon turn pale as they see how light-bearing and immortal is this bond.  The warm wind brings the news to the moon and stars that the wedding is nigh—the feast is open to all, that the earth has thrown off its snow-white covering and beams with a happy smile. 

Museum ol the city Karaganda

Abai’s monuments

Abai and Pushkin

Word Thirty three If you want to be rich, learn a trade. Wealth diminishes with time, but a skill does not. Abai Kunanbaev