Early Years & Family
This was Abai’s birth name before his grandmother gave him a famous nickname.
Ibrahim
Abai studied at this famous madrasah in Semipalatinsk for five years.
the Madrasah of Akhmet Riza
This 1886 poem, named after a season, is considered the start of Abai’s mature poetic period.
"Summer" (Jaz)
This Abai song, meaning "The Apple of My Eye," remains one of the most famous Kazakh love songs.
"Kozimnin Karasy"
This nephew and student of Abai became a brilliant historian and philosopher in his own right.
Shakarim Kudaiberdiuly
This woman, Abai’s grandmother, is credited with nurturing his love for stories and folk heritage.
Zere
Abai mastered this language to read the works of Pushkin, Lermontov, and European philosophers.
Russian
This fundamental prose work consists of 45 philosophical reflections and moral lessons.
"The Words of Edification" (Kara Sozder / Gakliya)
Abai’s philosophical concept of a "Perfect Human" is known by this Kazakh term.
Tolyk Adam
This leader of the Alash movement wrote the first official biography of Abai in 1905.
Alikhan Bukeikhanov
Abai’s father held this high administrative title in the Karkaraly district.
Senior Sultan
This famous Kazakh scholar and explorer served as a "bridge" between the worlds of Abai and Dostoevsky.
Chokan Ualikhanov
Abai translated over 50 works from this language into Kazakh.
Russian
According to Abai, the "Perfect Human" must balance three things: Reason, Will, and this third, most important element.
the Heart (Jurek)
In this year, the 150th anniversary of Abai’s birth was celebrated globally under the auspices of UNESCO.
1995
Abai was born in this mountain range within the Semipalatinsk region.
the Chingiz Mountains
Abai studied the "Classics of the East," including this Persian poet who wrote the Shahnameh.
Firdousi
Abai translated a portion of this famous verse novel by Alexander Pushkin.
"Evgenii Onegin"
Abai created approximately this many original musical melodies.
20
This four-volume epic novel by Mukhtar Auezov immortalized the life of the poet.
The Path of Abai
At this age, Abai’s father removed him from the madrasah to begin training him in tribal leadership.
13
These two Russian political exiles were among Abai’s closest intellectual friends in Semipalatinsk.
Michaelis and Dolgopolov
This poem by Abai criticizes the greed and ignorance of local rulers and clan division.
"The Eight-Liner" (Segiz Ayak)
Abai believed that the only way for the Kazakh people to progress was through this (he emphasized it in almost every "Word").
Education/Science (Gylym)
This scientific field, dedicated specifically to the study of Abai’s life and works, is called...
Abaitanu (Abai Studies)