Abaiuly (Kunanbayev) Turagul
(1876-1934)

It is known that children often try to repeat socially political, moral views and principles of parents in their activities  and affirm in life. Without this, the connecting thread of the past and present breaks, the historical memory of the people is lost, spiritual leading lights and cultural and moral guidelines for the development of peoples disappear.

In this regard, we recall that Turagul was the youngest son of Abai. He is known primarily as biographer of Abai, translator.

Turagul Abayily was born in the East Kazakhstan region, Abai district. He got a comprehensive education, he knew Russian, Arabic. From childhood, he listened the musical and poetic works created by Abai Kunanbaev.

He was a poet, translator, public figure. He was closely acquainted with the members of party of Alashorda A. Bokeikhanov, M. Dulatov, Zh. Aymauytov. For the first time Turagul, together with his grand-nephew Kakitai Iskakuly published Abai’s poetry works  in St. Petersburg in 1909. Turagul did a lot to preserve the  Abai’s works, made an invaluable contribution to the compilation of Abai’s biography. Since 1922 he was engaged in creative activities. Among many of his works, the most valuable work is the work-memoirs “On Father Abai,” written at the request of M. Auezov. In this work he made a detailed description of Abai’s life and activities. His poems dedicated to his broher Abdrakhman are kept in the fund of the reserve-museum of Abai.

He is the author of poems “I asked Allah for this day”, “Letter”, “To Abish”, “Reply letter”, etc. The main part of the works of Turagul is literary translations. The story by M. Gorky “Chelkash”, translated into Kazakh, was published in the magazine “Tan” in 1925.  A. S. Neverov’s  stories  “Mary Bolshevichka”, “I am in love with life” were translated by  Turagul  and were published  as a separate book in Moscow in 1927. He translated J. London’s works of “Eskimos Kish”, “Martin Eden” (the manuscript has not been preserved), B. Prus ’s  work “Antek”. His poems, the translation of  M. Gorky’s “Chelkash”, work-memoirs” On Father Abai”, and the research article on Abai were included in the collection “Followers-Poets” (1993, 1 book). The work -memoirs “On Father Abai” was appeared  as a separate book edited by B. Baygaliev.

In addition,  Semipalatinsk’s  newspaper “ Saryarka” , which became the voice of the movement of Alashordy, published  the first victories of the Alash army: Alash forces conquered troops of army of  Bolsheviks in the direction of the Altai province in 1918. Turagul Abaiuly,  Biakhmet Sarsenuly, Karazhan Ukibaev and others took part in the Alash army. At the end of the 20s of the 19 century, Turagul’s family was convicted and exiled to the Syrdarya district, and his son was executed as an enemy of the people. Turagul  has lived  last years of his life in Shymkent . In 1934, Turagul died of a serious illness in Shymkent. Unfortunately, the grave of Turagul, has not been preserved, because the territory of the old cemetery was subsequently built up with the buildings of the Shymkent chemical pharmaceutical factory.

Literature:

  1. Begalin K. As part of the empire: children’s encyclopedia of Kazakhstan. – Almaty: Aruna, 2011. – P.46
  2. Gainullina F.A. Literature of the Semipalatinsk Irtysh Region: Textbook. – Semipalatinsk, 2002. – P.136
  3. Mukhamedkhanov K. Turagul Abaiuly Kunanbaev // Kazakh SSR: brief encyclopedia v.4.-Alma-Ata: Soviet Encyclopedia, 1991.- P.561
  4. Toporkov V. The master of his fate // Rudnyi Altai. – 2005. – June 7. – P.6

5 The history of Kazakh literature in 3 volumes ,v.2 – Almaty: Nauka, 1957 – 340 p.

6 Writers and poets of the Semey region: bibliographic guidebook  – Semey: Publishing House “Press House”, 2015.-106 p.