At the Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, at the Faculty of Journalism, in the Department of Print and Electronic Media, an open spiritual lesson titled “Outstanding Figures of Alash” was held. Rima Zhaksylykbayeva brought together first-year students to honor the memory of Alash leaders and noble heroes.
This open lesson, conducted within the framework of the subject “History of Kazakh Journalism,” involved 125 students who participated in five groups. Such lessons encourage thinking beyond boundaries and foster creativity. A free mind does not thirst for creativity; it embodies it.
These great figures, in their time, served the society to the fullest, imposing demands on uyezds (districts) and volosts (local administrations), seeking remedies for the wounds of the people. They delved into the souls of the nation, worried about the fate of the Kazakh language, and risked their lives for the future of the nation. They devoted themselves to serving the values of their people. This year marks significant anniversaries of these remarkable individuals.
The year 1927 will mark the 135th anniversary of Zhusipbek Aimauytov, who, in 1927, published his psychological novel Akbilek in the magazine Ayel Tendigi (Women’s Equality). Group “101” connected Zhusipbek’s turbulent life with the journal Abai, highlighting his challenging fate.
The exceptional figure of the Turkic world, Mustafa Shokay, remains a shining beacon of enlightenment. He sacrificed everything, including his last coin, to provide knowledge and information to his people, opening their minds and striving to educate them. Such individuals are rare nowadays. Today, many parents hesitate to spend money on education, preferring instead to purchase diplomas for their children. Group “102” showcased Shokay’s struggles in Paris and depicted the hardships endured by Maria Yakovlevna Gorina, a graceful woman who stood by Shokay through all adversities. The group recreated the Parisian atmosphere, with the girls dancing gracefully to a French song.
The 130th anniversary of Turar Ryskulov, the protagonist of Sherkhan Murtaza’s novels Kyzyl Zhebe, Kyl Kopir, and Zhuldyzdy Kopir, is also celebrated. Group “105” highlighted his perseverance and courage, drawing on the proverb “A good father provides fortune even for a bad son.” They illustrated how Ryskulov, following in his father’s footsteps, opposed the party, openly voiced his opinions, and earned the title “Prisoner’s Son” for his rebellious spirit.
Ilyas Zhansugurov, who masterfully crafted the symbolic work Kulagyer, would have turned 130 this year. His verse,
“Let the hills and steppes drink your wisdom,
Unleash your streams upon the vast steppe,
Don’t let the weeds stop your flow.”
resonates with strength and depth.
Despite being imprisoned under the rule of the White Tsar and surviving the torment of “torture wagons,” Saken Seifullin, who later became a government leader and laid the foundation of the Kazakh state, faced accusations in the 1920s. He was branded as a “sympathizer of the wealthy,” “a poet of the old ways,” “a poor fighter against the Alash Orda,” “a nationalist opposed to communist ideology,” and the “leader of the pro-Trotsky Seifullin faction.” After being posthumously rehabilitated, he was recognized as a true supporter of the Communist Party and its ideology. In honor of the 130th anniversary of Saken Seifullin, the “103” group performed his poem In the Mountains and illustrated the hardships of the life of this tall, handsome, and dignified man.
The group “104” commemorated the 130th anniversary of Beimbet Maylin, who wrote about unrequited love in Shuga and portrayed love as a sacred yet incurable ailment that can consume a person. They reflected on the purity of youth’s feelings and encouraged their peers to read and appreciate literature, to become discerning readers.
These names are eternally etched in the nation’s memory.
Oh, my cherished ancestors,
I am proud of you and grateful.
Will you be proud of us in return?
I firmly believe that our aspirations will surpass yours. We, the new generation, will be the heralds of peace for the nation that you dreamed of. The genocide and oppression suffered by the Kazakh people will one day be avenged through science, education, culture, and literature. The day will come.
