Horizons of Wisdom

The book Abyz Ɖbish (The Sage Abish), published in 2019 to mark the 80th anniversary of Abish Kekilbayev, became a landmark event in Kazakh cultural studies. In 2020, the author was awarded the State Prize of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the field of literature and art named after Abai for this unique work.

It is significant and revealing that the Moscow edition opens with a preface by the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev. In it, he provides profound, precise, and comprehensive assessments of the literary and theoretical legacy of the outstanding master of the written word. Kassym-Jomart Kemelovich writes: "I grew up in a writer’s family, so from childhood, I was familiar with the name of Abish Kekilbayev. I also became acquainted with his works quite early. Later, I had the honor of working alongside the deeply respected Abish-aga for many years in the Senate and maintaining close communication. We developed mutual respect for each other. I consider those years a happy period in my life. The name of this towering personality, who made an invaluable contribution to national spirituality, truly deserves great respect. His literary mastery and socio-political activities must be thoroughly studied, explored, and popularized."

However, to address these important tasks, the author himself must undoubtedly possess profound knowledge and be on par with the greatness of Kekilbayev’s personality, his creative and human stature.

"Sauytbek Abdrakhmanov’s book is a fundamental work that comprehensively analyzes the immense intellectual gift of the thinker Abish Kekilbayev. This book enriches the scientific field of 'Kekilbayev Studies' with new content, presenting him as a true luminary of creative spirit. Based on an extensive factual foundation, it thoroughly reveals the artistic, literary, historiographic, political, and philosophical dimensions of Kekilbayev’s works, his encyclopedic knowledge, and academic universalism," notes the Head of State.

The publication of the book in Russian by "Khudozhestvennaya Literatura" speaks volumes. It is worth recalling that this publishing house has, at various times, honored the works of classical Kazakh literary figures such as Mukhtar Auezov, Sabit Mukanov, Gabit Musrepov, Gabiden Mustafin, as well as their most renowned and talented contemporaries and successors.

The first edition of Abyz Ɖbish was published by the Kazakh publishing house Foliant. The book was immediately well received by scholars, writers, critics, and readers, leading to three subsequent reprints.

Korifey is a truly monumental work that helps readers gain a deeper understanding of the priceless heritage of the outstanding son of the Kazakh nation, the great master of the written word, and scholar-thinker Abish Kekilbayev. It also allows for a well-deserved appreciation of the intellect, literary and scientific talent of the book’s author, my dear friend and mentor, Doctor of Philological Sciences Sauytbek Abdrakhmanov. His many years of tireless, almost ascetic devotion to the written word should be acknowledged. He has written and published numerous books, essays, and articles. Among them are Təuelsizdik Shezhireci (Chronicles of Independence), Adamzat Kuntizbesi (The Calendar of Humanity), Eldik Syny (The Test of the Nation), Kalendar Chelovechestva (The Calendar of Humanity), the two-volume author’s anthology of 20th-century Kazakh poetry Zhiyrmasynshy Gasyr Zhyrlaidy (The Twentieth Century Sings), the reportage book Osedlavshiy Skakuna Kazakhstan (Kazakhstan, the Rider of Time), Ɖdebiet Alemi (The World of Literature), and Ɖner Ɖlkesi (The Realm of Art). On the 30th anniversary of Kazakhstan’s Independence, five volumes of his journalism Eldik Erligi (The Heroic Spirit of the Nation) were published.

It is telling that Abdrakhmanov, at the beginning of his academic research, turned his attention to the legacy of Alexander Pushkin. In 1999, he published the research book Our Pushkin, which became the foundation for his doctoral dissertation "The Novel Eugene Onegin by A.S. Pushkin in Kazakh Literary and Folkloric Traditions". Over the years, he has published research essays included in books such as Our Pushkin, Ver Bana At (Turkisms in A.S. Pushkin’s Works), and The Quran and Pushkin.

For Sauytbek Abdrakhmanov, the genius of Abai stands alongside the genius of Pushkin. In 2007, he brilliantly defended his doctoral dissertation on the theory and poetics of poetic translation, with a key focus on Abai’s translation artistry, which made an invaluable contribution to the treasury of Kazakh spiritual culture.

Following his work on Pushkin and Abai, Abdrakhmanov turned to the legacy of Mukhtar Auezov. In 2019, he published the article "The Greatness of a Classic", which examines Auezov’s contribution to literature and his interpretation of the historical role of nomadic civilization. It is therefore no coincidence that he eventually directed his attention to the creative and academic heritage of Abish Kekilbayev, culminating in the writing of the remarkable book Abyz Ɖbish—a journey that, in many ways, passed through Pushkin, Abai, and Auezov.

Cultural Core

I want to emphasize that the author fully understands the immense responsibility and complexity of the tasks at hand. "We have yet to truly understand Kekilbayev," he writes in the first chapter, "Inexhaustible." "Uncovering layers, recognizing the greatness of artists like Kekilbayev, who created in past and present centuries, is no easy feat. Thus, the national artistic thought faces many challenges in unveiling the world of beauty in Abish Kekilbayev's works and grasping the depth of his philosophy."

Sautbek Abdrakhmanov has brilliantly tackled these challenges, largely because he shared common pages of both professional and creative biographies with Kekilbayev, making him a true Izbasar. The numerous coincidences in their fates are hard to list. He writes about this with his characteristic warm humor and heartfelt emotions. Sautbek notes: "For forty years, I had the fortune of being his younger brother, like-minded companion, supporter, and colleague. There were times when we worked together, and times when I worked under his leadership. Later, we remained in constant friendship and communication. In moments of joy and sorrow, I always tried to be by his side."

This human closeness and spiritual kinship were appreciated by Kekilbayev himself. In 2001, on Abdrakhmanov’s fiftieth birthday, he wrote: "His work is a significant contribution to the national spiritual culture."

One of the greatest merits of Abdrakhmanov’s book is that he showcases the multifaceted talent of Abish Kekilbayev not only as a great writer and master of artistic expression but also as a cultural scholar, philosopher, and researcher of human civilization’s history and the role of the Great Steppe’s nomadic culture within it. "In our book," the author writes, "we aimed to consider Abish Kekilbayev not primarily as an artist but as a thinker... For this reason, each chapter is dedicated to a particular area of his intellectual activity. The issues raised in these chapters stem from their respective titles."

This comprehensive work consists of eight chapters, which, in harmonious unity, create a remarkably complete portrait of Abish Kekilbayev as a writer, thinker, public figure, and human being.

Given the depth and diversity of Kekilbayev’s artistic-aesthetic and theoretical knowledge and creative pursuits, Sautbek Abdrakhmanov naturally chose to focus on their cultural dimension. In the chapter "Cultural Core," a key conclusion stands out: Abish Kekilbayev always explored questions of anthropology and civilization history through the lens of the role and significance of nomadic material and spiritual culture. "Throughout his creative journey, Abish Kekilbayev consistently studied our nation's culture. Along the way, he accomplished a great deal and left behind a rich legacy."

In the chapter "Circle of Art," the author notes that Kekilbayev absorbed the essence of Kazakh culture and traditional art from birth—through his upbringing and the example set by his father, a skilled horseman and dombra player. As a result, we see how deeply Kekilbayev knew the works of Kurmangazy, Dauletkerey, Tattimbet, and other composers from different regions of Kazakhstan, as well as prominent figures such as Akhmet Zhubanov, Mukan Tulebayev, Nurgisa Tlendiyev, Erkegali Rakhmadiev, Shamshi Kaldayakov, and performers like Garifolla Kurmangaliyev, Yermek Serkebaev, Roza Baglanova, and Shamyl Abiltaev.

Abish Kekilbayev also paid great attention to the works of theater and film artists—Seraly Kozhamkulov, Nurmukhan Zhanturin, Asanali Ashimov, Anuar Moldabekov, Azerbaijan Mambetov, Shaken Aimanov, Mazhit Begalin, Sultan Khodzhikov, as well as Kyrgyz film directors Bolotbek Shamshiev and Tolomush Okeev. Another vivid testament to Kekilbayev’s universal cultural research scope is his deep knowledge of Kazakh visual arts.

Sautbek Abdrakhmanov emphasizes: "It would not be an exaggeration to call Abish an encyclopedic art historian... His writings on visual arts, music, theater, cinema, and architecture are works achievable only by someone well-versed in the history of world culture and thoroughly familiar with art theory."

A crucial layer of Abdrakhmanov’s research book relates to the theme "Kekilbayev and the Kazakh Language." The author himself demonstrates a deep understanding of theoretical linguistics, the origins, and nature of language, which allows him to appreciate the profound scholarly and theoretical contributions of Kekilbayev as a historian and advocate of the much-enduring native language.

The most significant work of Kekilbayev on the fate of language is his book "Language and Independence." "Abish Kekilbayev particularly highlighted the role of language in a nation’s history, societal consciousness, and the strengthening of statehood... He worked selflessly to elevate the power, role, and status of our native language," Sautbek Abdrakhmanov emphasizes.

Lessons of History

In the chapters "Reflections on Independence" and "Lessons of History," it is shown that for Kekilbayev, the issues of culture and language of the people are inextricably and immanently linked to the lessons of its centuries-old history, with the prospects of achieving true freedom and national sovereignty.

As Abdrakhmanov demonstrates, history itself called Kekilbayev to the path of state and socio-political activity. Let us recall that he was the chief editor of the "Kazakhfilm" studio, Deputy Minister of Culture of the Kazakh SSR, head of a department in the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Kazakhstan, chief editor of the newspaper "Egemen Kazakhstan," held the post of State Secretary of the Republic of Kazakhstan, was repeatedly elected as a deputy of Parliament, and served as Chairman of the Supreme Council. Throughout these years, in numerous media publications and speeches cited in the book, Kekilbayev raised the most pressing issues of Kazakhstan's political development, drawing on the works of many representatives of global philosophical and socio-economic thought.

From my own professional experience, I know that Kekilbayev, already recognized as a great master of literary expression, from the early years of independence also emerged as a competent politician and political scientist, an enlightener devoted to shaping his people's new historical consciousness.

The author of the book "Coryphaeus" writes: "He believes that the duty of a writer is to present the historical path of his people as honestly and truthfully as possible, to show the dialectical connection of this path with the present and future. History should be free from empty praise and one-sided condemnation; both the positive and negative aspects of any figure should be equally illuminated. Kekilbayev's pen was able to reflect this reality." With his pen, Abdrakhmanov vividly and meticulously portrays the scale of the writer's historical inquiries, providing fertile ground for addressing contemporary issues of national and state development.

The World of Literature

A special place in the study of Abish Kekilbayev's phenomenon is occupied by the chapter "The World of Literature," where the writer appears primarily as an engaged reader, literary critic, translator.

Abish Kekilbayev possessed an exceptional knowledge of and mastery over the greatest achievements of world literature. Here is just one striking example given by the author of the book. In 2003, when Sauytbek Abdrakhmanov was Minister of Information, a 100-volume edition of translations under the "World Literature" series was planned as part of the state program "Cultural Heritage." Seeking advice from the wise Abish, he received a brilliant and detailed recommendation not only on whose works should be translated into Kazakh and their significance but also on which of our writers should be entrusted with translating particular world classics.

Sauytbek Abdrakhmanov emphasizes that "the highest peak, the foundation of Abish's talent, was knowledge. He had an astonishing ability to comprehend everything he read and to retain it in memory for a long time." In his articles, Kekilbayev addressed the works of Shakespeare, Goethe, Byron, Balzac, Stendhal, Dickens, London, Thackeray, Mann, Faulkner, Proust, Joyce, Kafka, Hemingway, Dreiser, Steinbeck, Vonnegut, Updike, Marquez… A discerning reader is struck by the thorough and all-encompassing analysis of Abish-aga’s literary inquiries by Abdrakhmanov.

"Of course, in Abish Kekilbayev's literary studies," writes Sauytbek, "a special place is occupied by the art of the Russian word. It is not just because, during the Soviet era, everything we read and studied was connected with the Russian language. Rather, it is because Russian poetry and prose of the 19th and 20th centuries have truly secured a place in world literature as an invaluable treasure." Alongside Pushkin, Tolstoy, Dostoevsky, Chekhov, and Bunin, the writer studied the works of Sholokhov and Solzhenitsyn. He highly valued the outstanding Kyrgyz writer Chingiz Aitmatov. Notably, the problem of "mankurtism" and the very concept of "mankurt" were first introduced into artistic literature by Abish Kekilbayev in his novella "Kui." Only 12 years later, thanks to the novel "The Day Lasts More Than a Hundred Years," did it enter the international lexicon as a social and philosophical concept. On the occasion of Abish’s 60th anniversary, Chingiz Aitmatov wrote in a congratulatory address: "The horizons of Kazakh literary art have expanded to unprecedented dimensions in your works. I am deeply grateful for what you have written and for the numerous images you have created."

Sauytbek Abdrakhmanov calls Kekilbayev’s thoughts on Kazakh literature an invaluable treasure. For several decades, he explored the rich creative heritage of Makhambet, Abai, Sultanmakhmut Toraigyrov, Zhambyl, Shakarim, Magzhan Zhumabayev, Ilyas Zhansugurov, Beimbet Mailin, Mukhtar Auezov, Sabit Mukanov, Gabit Musrepov, Gabiden Mustafin, Kasym Amanzholov, Abdilda Tazhibayev, Khamit Yergaliyev, Zeynolla Kabdolov, Abdizhamil Nurpeisov, Sherkhan Murtaza, Kadir Myrzaliev, Fariza Ongarsynova, Zhumeken Nazhmedenov, Mukagali Makatayev, Anuar Alimzhanov, Mukhtar Magauin, Oralkhan Bokeev, Dulat Isabekov, Akselyu Seidimbek, Tolen Abdikov, Dukenbay Doszhan, Rollan Seisenbayev, and other talented writers.

Abish Kekilbayev carried out tremendous work for the sake of his native literature. An important chapter in this truly selfless labor was his work on the poetry of Olzhas Suleimenov, an outstanding and genuinely Kazakh poet who wrote in Russian. We feel the greatness and spiritual kinship of two contemporaries, the titans of our literature—Abish and Olzhas. Suleimenov’s poems once shook the consciousness of the people, becoming a powerful artistic symbol, a bold and vivid banner of national spirit revival. This, in my opinion, is what prompted the true patriot Kekilbayev to undertake the unprecedented task of restoring Olzhas’s poetic genius to the embrace of his native language. "Abish praised Olzhas’s poetry not only in articles," writes Abdrakhmanov, "but he was also the first to translate his poems into Kazakh, striving to preserve the author's unique colors as much as possible."

Summarizing "The World of Literature," the author writes: "Abish’s pen glorified our poets and writers of the past and present until his very last days, honored the talented, and urged others to learn from them… Abish Kekilbayev’s literary scholarship is an immense treasure, intertwined with his worldview, vividly revealing the virtues and qualities of Kazakh literary expression, elevating the significance of talent, and, most importantly, awakening readers’ minds and inspiring their dreams."

Sauytbek Abdrakhmanov's research book concludes with the chapter "Patterns of the Native Land," a story of his selfless and inexhaustible filial love for his small homeland, its history, and its present—this harsh and ascetic yet dearest land that deeply nourished his development as a person, his high spirituality, and the formation of his unique talent as a writer and thinker.

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