Traditional “Zeinolla Sanik Readings” Competition Held

On April 15, the Faculty of Journalism at Al-Farabi Kazakh National University, under the organization of the Department of Publishing, Editing and Design Arts, hosted the traditional “Zeinolla Sanik Readings”—a national competition among students and graduate students, dedicated to the 90th anniversary of the birth of writer, publisher, editor, and ethnographer Zeinolla Sanik.

The event was attended by Zeinolla Sanik’s wife, poet Shamshabanu Kamzakyzy; renowned writer and public figure Zeynep Akhmetova; Chairman of the Kazakhstan Writers’ Union, writer Mereke Kulkenov; poet and Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper Kazakh Literature Bauyrzhan Zhakyp; Honored Worker of Kazakhstan, poet and journalist Ulykbek Yesdaulet; poet, journalist, and publisher Temirgali Kopbayev; Doctor of Philology and laureate of the international “Alash” literary award Kanseit Abdezuly; and Executive Director of the Zeinolla Sanik Cultural Foundation Serik Kaliyev.

Aimed at encouraging academic research and the creative ideas of young scholars, the competition introduced participants to the extensive literary and publishing contributions of Zeinolla Sanik.

Organized by Dean of the Faculty of Journalism Kanat Auesbayuly and Head of the Department of Publishing, Editing and Design Arts Aigul Ramazan, the event awarded certificates of appreciation from Zeinolla Sanik’s family and one-time scholarships sponsored by the Zeinolla Sanik Cultural Foundation to the winners in the following categories: “Best Research Work,” “Best Press Article,” “Best Documentary Film,” and “Best Design Artwork.”

In the “Best Research Work” category, 3rd-year student Dana Sadyrkan won 1st place; 3rd-year student Akbota Akhmetbek and 2nd-year student Nurziya Abakhan won 2nd place; and 3rd-year students Elnaz Kerimtay, Aziza Rakhman, Malika Salieva, and Madina Madi shared 3rd place.

In the “Best Press Article” category, 2nd-year student Asyl Baiturgan and 3rd-year student Islam Aden took 2nd place; 2nd-year student Ayazhan Toktassynova, 3rd-year student Araylym Kanalikyzy, and 4th-year student Altynai Seytken shared 3rd place.

In the “Best Documentary Film” category, 2nd-year students of Atyrau University named after Kh. Dosmukhamedov, Sanim Marat and Yerasyl Zakarov, won 1st place; 1st-year student Syrgalym Bekmukhanova and 3rd-year student Aigerim Yesimkhan took 2nd place; and 3rd-year student Ravil Kasymov and 1st-year graduate student Bakhzhanar Tolkynbekkyzy won 3rd place.

In the “Best Design Artwork” category, 4th-year student Adel Mukhamadieva won 1st place; 2nd-year graduate student Didar Tolkynbek won 2nd place; and 2nd-year graduate student Gulzhan Auganbayeva, 4th-year student Aidar Asyl, and 1st-year student Zholdas Daulet took 3rd place.

Zeinolla Sanik was a writer who enriched modern Kazakh literature with historical figures such as Kabanbay, Tugyrul Khan, Baspay Batyr, Demezhan Batyr, Kairakbay Kuyshi, and Suleimen Bi. The first volume of his 15-volume collected works, released in 2017, includes the historical novel Sergelden; the second volume, the novel Baspay; the third, stories and poems about Baspay Batyr; the fourth, historical essays Karakerei Kabanbay and Khan Batyr Kabanbay; the fifth, Suleimen Bi; the sixth, Tugyrul Khan, Kairakbay, and Demezhan; the ninth contains short stories and novellas; and the tenth, a biographical story titled Iz. As seen, many of his works are historical essays.

It would be limiting to recognize Zeinolla Sanik only as a writer, as he was also a researcher who linked Kazakh culture with history and made significant contributions to the publishing industry as an editor.

Each work by the distinguished writer, researcher, publisher, and ethnographer Zeinolla Sanik is imbued with love for the Kazakh people, loyalty to the nation, and themes of kinship and national identity. Therefore, the task of young scholars is to thoroughly study his literary and scientific legacy, the purpose behind preserving and publishing it, the language of his works, his methodologies in biographical research, and his overall place in Kazakh literature.

Dana SADYRKAN
3rd-year student of the Faculty of Journalism