Author BAKTHYGUL MAKHANBETOVA ALMATY, KAZAKHSTAN
ON RAIKHAN IMAKHANBET’S “CENTURY PHENOMENON”
I am honored to let the important thoughts about Akhmet Baitursynuly, the historic man of the Kazakh people, be available to the whole world in English. I hope, when the literary work “Century Phenomenon” gets its publishers in nearest future, it will be not only words and my dream will come true. A contribution to this wonderful work of research analysis, done by Raikhan Imakhanbet, based on hundreds of scientists ’materials, with my involvement into it, is absolutely challenging. This year is full of historical dates in the world. Historical figure, who sacrificed his life for the sake of the future of Kazakh state, left behind him the biggest treasure – the diamonds of wisdom! We must be proud of that a celebration of the 150th anniversary of the Kazakh Phenomenon, Akhmet Baitursynuly is included in the programs of UNESCO in 2022. Not only Kazakh, but also foreign researchers tried to investigate and research the unique features of this great personality for a long time. The ambitious scientist, Raikhan Imakhanbet who paid attention to those big interests started to analyze them and was happy with the achievements, but there were also some disappointments, too. The scientist who devoted her life to analyze the research works on this giant of the twentieth century, Raikhan Imakhanbet, did all her best to work out them thoroughly. She published her first monograph on this important theme, defended in 2006, entitled “The phenomenon of the century: the creative biography of Akhmet Baitursynuly.” The book explores the life and legacy of the scholar, from cognitive articles to ideas and opinions in collective and individual researches. This is not the first or last work of the creative biography of the scholar. It is clear that the tragic fates of the Alash Pleiades will be central to many topics as generations pass. It is true that the next generation will return to the nature of TEACHER OF THE NATION; reconsider in terms of the requirements of civilization! According to the erudition and comprehension of his contemporaries, who called him “ALASH LEADER”, and found Akhmet as a historic phenomenon whose dream came true about the essence of the nation, and his sayings were alive, just they show to future generations the vitality of the teachings of the sage. The book takes the name of the award, which awarded in 1999 by independent descendants, as the title announces the educator’s individuality to carry out the work of the nation differentiated and his portrait embroidered. It is based on archival data on the “day of mourning” considered as a victim of the policy, from the time of Kazakh colonization by the giant Russian state. In addition to it, there stated junior Akhmet’s upbringing in the vast Kazakh Sahara, educated on the wisdom of his ancestors, to the time of misfortune of “1937” in the past.
Today’s generation and future generations should not forget that the newspaper “Kazakh” was the leader in the foreword. In times of turmoil, the enlightener-fighter said, “… the newspaper is the eyes, ears and tongue of the people” in order to find out its own way, and not to follow the other progressive nations’ language and awaken the consciousness of the colonial nation. This instruction of the scholar has become a principle of the modern requirements of today’s information system. Various articles on Akhmet’s life, written since 1909, have been used and analyzed as needed. In addition, an overview of the conclusions made during the Soviet era and independence period, the views expressed in separate collections. The book contains copies of documents and copies of originals of documentary files and historical inscriptions from the funds of the Central State Archive of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the National Security Committee of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the National Library of the Republic of Kazakhstan, the museum-house of Akhmet Baitursynuly.
Now let me present some information about the content of the literary work “Century Phenomenon” by Raikhan Imakhanbet. It exactly consists of four main parts: Holy Location; Gigantic Personality; Great Enlightener; Century Phenomenon. The first part “Holy Location” includes the following sections: “If you are curious about my ancestors …”, “A giant is born from a mother …”, “Passion for knowledge”, “Mugalimkol Lake in Auliekol”. In the beginning preview of the section, the author points out enough interesting facts on Torgai, and there is an extract from this, I would like to accent: “If you make old Torgai speak, how it could sing beautifully, that has a lot of secrets in its heart?! Of course, you need an ear to hear it, a consciousness to accept it, a heart to feel it. The poet Gafu Kairbekov, a native of this place, said: “… Torgai is a land where its legends grow bigger than itself, a fame of steppe is higher than itself.” In fact, if you start to count down the historical figures from Torgai, you will be mistaken with the numbers. And when other people who came to this region saw the steppe, they shook their heads and said, “It’s a place where dogs can’t be tied,” and how long they did create a concept about and have to get surprised with the masterpieces that came from”famous people and innate talents are born in the desert” ?!
As the title of the first section, “If you are curious about my ancestors…” already tells us a lot, we are aware of the historical facts of a family. Akhmet Baitursynuly was born on September 5, 1872 in a wealthy family in the 5th village of Sarytubek settlement of Tosyn volost, in Torgai district of Kostanay region. According to the family genealogy, Akhmet’s tribe is Argyn. Umbetey is a great ancestor; his name became a family name in his time. To be more precise, the head of the tribe, the person who ruled the country, his people lived between Nauryzym in Kostanay and Akkol in Torgai. From the families of Umbetey Batyr, who held each hearth, his descendants descended, and his descendants spread to the Arka region, where they settled. According to local sources, Umbetey Batyr died at the age of 97. His body is in Karamaishi, near Nauryzym, Kostanay. His descendants erected a tombstone on the tomb of the great ancestor and built a mausoleum. Akhmet’s father Baitursyn had five brothers. They were Aktas, Baitursyn, and Daniar (known in some sources as Sabalak. This is mainly due to tradition named by sisters- in – law.), Yergazy, Yermaganbet (sometimes Bermagambet). His grandfather Shoshak had ten brothers, and his great grandfather Tanbai had seven brothers. Tanbay’s father Aralbai had five brothers. His great-grandfather Aralbai was Umbetey batyr’s son. Umbetey and Seitimbet were born from Baiseit. From Umbetey was born Aralbai, from him – Tangbai, from Tangbai – Shoshak. The son of Shoshak was Baitursyn, from Baitursyn – Akhmet. Akhmet has four siblings from his parents. His older brothers: Kali (1868-1925), Kakish (1869-1924), younger brother Mashen (1873-1930), the only sister among siblings, Zilash (according to some sources, “Zhilash, Zibash, Zidash, Zilyash”). We got the version “Zilash” from written questionnaire of Akhmet – R.I.) who was born in 1879. Surprisingly, Zilash Baitursynkyzy received the land from the famous “Kengsai” Muslim cemetery in Almaty. Akhmet’s father Baitursyn was born in 1843 at the confluence of the great Zhylanshyk River that flows to Akkol River in Torgai. In the country, people know well Baitursyn for his indomitable nature. He was the guardian of the Umbeteys’ ancestral homeland, which inherited from father to son in the steppe: in summer – in the pastureland, in winter – in the wintering land. He masterfully manages the household, mastering the stable people with an obstinate character. Noticing his admirable ability to govern, by the Russian governor Baitursyn was elected as a sardar – a mayor of that settlement.
Akhmet wrote in his autobiography in 1929, “… In 1885, our family was unhappy. After beating Yakovlev, the head of the Torgai district, he imprisoned my father Baitursyn, deported him for 15 years in 1886, and confiscated our property. ”
He writes that the “unhappiness” of this pressure on the head of the dynasty was the main reason for his enrollment in a two-class Russian-Kyrgyz school in Torgai. In filling out this official document, we should explain why Akhmet wrote “Kyrgyz” in the word “ethnicity” and clarify the details. In fact, if you look closely at the historical documents related to the readings of Alash, the name of the nation “Kazakh” is written directly and clearly by our intellectuals (with the Arabic symbol in the Akhmet alphabet – I.R.). When filling out official documents in Russian, he was forced to write “Kyrgyz” because of the colonial policy of the time. Sometimes “black Kyrgyz” in parentheses accompany the name “Kyrgyz”. Apparently, this was addressed to the Kyrgyz brothers, our God-added neighbor. How can our people, who have been subjected to such deliberate pressure, not be patriotic?! The authoritarian system of the Soviet Union, which came to power after the Russian Empire, also forbade Kazakhs to write the name of their nation directly. To come to life as a Kazakh and not being able to write “Kazakh” in the language of the document was the worst kind of insult to the nation. Was there more oppression, more contempt for the nation?! It is known from historical records that the authoritarian system of the Russian government forcibly wrote the word “Kazakh” as “Kyrgyz” and the Kyrgyz as “black Kyrgyz” in order not to confuse the word “Kazakh” with “horse riding Cossacks” in Russia. What does arbitrariness do? … And who needed such discrimination?! Of course, in the minority countries under its control, “one language” ruling was very convenient for both the former tsarist system and the later Soviet Union. Akhmet was thirteen years old that November of “black” autumn. Twenty-four years later, the tragedy of 1885 befell on Akhmet’s head, at his 37, who imprisoned in Semipalatinsk. The dagger of the “black cloud” that rolled again scratched the wound in his heart. He wrote a letter from prison to his relatives, who hoped for him, and described his conditions as follows:
“… Shot at thirteen that made me think hard,
There is cureless wound in my heart.
Being deceived by meals if I forget it
Everything becomes haraam I eat.
Born of man, without human action,
How without shame shall I be buried?!
Pointing out to the first section much more, I am trying to share some details with you; not only this one, but also the rest sections and subsections are full of important facts that people should pay attention. If you look through the pages of the book, there presented the truth of life stages of a great personality and you feel sorry about the hard time he had to overcome together with his family, relatives and friends.
Further, I would like just to name the subtitles of the second, third, and fourth parts of a book: Chapter II GIGANTIC PERSONALITY: “A candle for the Kazakhs …”, “Semei that stimulated consciousness”, “Orynbor is a spiritual horde”, “People think of today, mine …”
Chapter III GREAT ENLIGHTENER: “The motto of the countric in the literature”, “The mother tongue that Akhang varied…”, “The eyes, ears and tongue of the people”, “Akhmetology: yesterday, today, tomorrow”.
Chapter IV CENTURY PHENOMENON: “Important Statements”, “Yellowed messages-letters…”, “Let the photos speak”, “Inauguration of the “Teacher of the Nation”.
Every chapter of this literary work is followed by a rich reference list: the first chapter reference – 28 researches, the second one – 85 researches, the third one -145 researches, the last one -22 researches. The fourth chapter also followed by a summary and appendix. The book is full of facts that may confuse its readers, as it is the deep analysis of the akhmetology by Raikhan Imakhanbet who still feels shocked with some misleading in the analyzed works. Some well –known scientists of modern period, whose names mentioned in this book and who should reply to the enquiries in this literary work, are still silent. It is a bit strange. We need feedback.
The flow of information about the great reformer of the twentieth century, the great scientist Akhmet Baitursynuly, in terms of the period in which he lived, and the current state of independence is endless. Academician, historian Manash Kozybayev said “Akhmet Baitursynuly – a major phenomenon of the twentieth century. His name is associated with the rooted, radical phenomena of this turbulent century. Therefore, it can be said that the study of the baitursunuly is, in fact, the study of the century. … The development of akhmet studies is a common duty of all the humanities “. He said it in his speech on the 125th anniversary of the scholar.
Baitursynuly’s blessing: “If you look around, there are still dark clouds … We should not be worried about what will happen to the bottom … Even if we can’t control the storm, we make sure that our house is not scattered … Those who aspire to the top of the world are in the forefront. Those who do not aspire are left at the door … If we don’t want to stay there, let’s move from there … Let’s make efforts all together … Let’s not be afraid of what we can do. If you want to serve your nation, you will find a job. A lot of work is both hard and easy. Kazakhs have nothing to rest on. Let everyone get a job affordable to them. Remember, few things are supportful to many. A little support can be overwhelming. Great things grow from small things … It is the duty of every Kazakh to contribute to the growth of power for the nation. ”
The nature of Akhmet Baitursynuly, who carried the burdens of the Kazakh people and served to his people, is similar to the portrait of Alash scholars of the early twentieth century. The life principles of the Enlightenment fighter were, “love for the nation, humanity, freedom of personality, purity of conscience, independence of consciousness”. The goal of each of the characters was to instill in the minds of the nation the spirit of liberation in the ancestral tradition. “Kazakh is a persecutor who seeks lost”, “Knowing the debt is a matter of education, paying the debt is a matter of humanity”, “Watchwording the people is inhuman, offending the people is callousness, selling the people for food is bestiality”, “National oppression cannot but create a national feeling”, “The biggest problem of modern Kazakhs is the land issue,” he said. “This is a question of whether the Kazakhs are alive or dead “,” Famous people in Alash! Keep your leadership straight! If you go astray, Alash will go astray, and you will leave in the lurch of those who follow you”. These were imaginary conclusions that worried about the future of the country.
It is not an easy task to mobilize the people for the future of the nation. Akhmet, who became from being an educator to a fighter, said, “Language is the most powerful factor in the preservation and loss of a nation. Those who lose their word will gradually disappear. Those who want to add other people to their nation will first try to diminish the language of those people”.
“Body can be buried, deeds – unburied.
I do not think of one-day affair.
If people do not understand, I will not grieve.
They think of today, mine is for tomorrow”.
Akhmet is the founder of the Kazakh literary language;
The first teacher who taught Kazakh from the very beginning steps and struggled with ignorance;
A wise reformer who introduced innovations in teaching and writing;
A hero who fought against the evil policies of the tsarist government;
A famous poet and translator;
A leader of the Kazakh people in any way”.
Akhmet, who devoted his life to the work of the Kazakh people and rose to the top of education in order to glorify the interests of the nation, became a victim to a totalitarian system, passing the age of Prophet. While in prison, the fighter, as his contemporaries said it, “used his kneel as the table” kept on writing philosophically and lasting to use his pen by taking care of his oppressed country until his last breath. Akhmet Baitursynuly’s this statement is its proof: “I discovered the essence of the sacred language and created science. No one writes literature for pride, it is born of character; it meets the needs of the nation. I wrote a work entitled ‘History of Literature’, which I lectured at the Kazakh People’s Commissariat of Education, in Orynbor and Kyzylorda, emphasizing that science and technology are the driving forces behind the advancement of mankind”.
Writer Abish Kekilbay said at the solemn meeting dedicated to the 125th anniversary of the great educator, “Akhmet Baitursynuly is a unique person in our national history that cannot be compared with anyone. To some, this may seem like an inappropriate compliment. Before that, Farabi, Yassawi, Korkyt, Asan kaygy, Ybyrai, Shokan, and Abai also passed in this steppe. It is true. However, Akhmet Baitursynuly is like them or not. It seems that he, like these giants, was looking for an unmistakable way for his people, left in the lurch and did not correspond to the trends and pace of development of our nation in the rest of the world. What is different: Akhmet Baitursynuly did not understand that such a way would be found in the search for a new settlement. Unlike Korkyt and Asan it would not survive the usual process; unlike Farabi and Yassawi he did not believe that the problem could be solved by a timely transition to the widespread ancient or Islamic worldview of their time; unlike Abai, Shokan and Ybyrai, he did not want to be limited to enlightenment in order to achieve equality,” he said.
According to Abish, Akhmet was a man who “worked hard for the sake of his country, without treating any atlants’ shoulders, who could feel and see the wide horizons that his predecessors had not seen.
In conclusion, the author states out the fact that the scholar awarded the title of “Ana tilding aibary- the Guardian of the Mother Tongue ” and declared “Gasyr sanglagy- The Phenomenon of the Century ” by today’s sovereign country is a guarantee that the historical figure will forever live with the younger generation of Kazakhs.
While working on translation there are some parts, especially, poetry made me think hard, though I did my best to pass the same feelings into English.
I am very thankful for all researchers, and especially, akhmetologist-scientist Raikhan Imakhanbet, for the efforts to make the works of century phenomenon live longer and keep his name forever in the hearts of people. I would strongly recommend to everyone to read this brilliant literary work “Century Phenomenon” by Raikhan Imakhanbet to know important facts about Akhmet Baitursynuly.
