In different times the journal was known for such names as “Zhana Adebiet”, “Zhyl kusy”, “Adebiet Maidany”, “Maidan”, “Adebiet Zhane Art”. Famous Kazakh writes G. Musrepov, Z. Kabdolov, A. Nurpeisov, S. Maulenov, Sh. Murtaza, B. Tlegenov, M. Magauin headed the magazine in different years. The famous Kazakh poet S. Seifullin was the first editor of the journal “Adebiet Maidany”. Since 1932 “Adebiet Maidany” has been published as a literary-artistic and socio-political journal. B. Mailin, I. Zhansugurov, M. Auezov, S. Mukanov made a great contribution to the formation of the journal.
Constantly publishing on the pages of the journal Mukhtar Auezov helped to improve its artistic quality and to attract a wide audience. The author of the article introduced readers with an excerpt “Tatyana’ s song on the ridge” from the future epic novel “The Way of Abai”.
On March 31, 1902, the Semipalatinsk Subdivision of the West Siberian Department of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society was created. Abai Kunanbaev, P.P. Semenov-Tyan-Shansky, G.N. Potanin, V.V.Sapozhnikov, V.A.Obruchev, Alikhan Bokeikhanov and others participated in the work of the Semipalatinsk Subdivision.
Alikhan Bukeikhanov was the first biographer of Abai. His obituary “Abai (Ibragim) Kunanbayev” is the first biography devoted to the Kazakh poet Abai Kunanbayev. This printed biography of Abai on 8 pages was published in the newspaper “Semipalatinsky listok” in 1905. After the death of Abai, Bukeikhanov wanted to acquaint Russian-speaking readers with the life and work of Abai. Then the obituary was published in the “Notes of the Semipalatinsk subdivision of the West Siberian department of the Imperial Russian Geographical Society. The third issue of the “Notes” of the Semipalatinsk subdivision include articles by Professor E. Shmurlo, V. Sedelnikov, B. Gerasimov, representatives of the Kazakh intelligentsia Zh. Akbaev and A. Bokeikhanov.
In the Report of the Semipalatinsk Department of the Russian Geographical Society information about “meeting devoted to anniversary of the famous poet Ibragim (Abai) Kunanbaev on the occasion of the 20th anniversary of his death was given by the Department in December of 1924. The department held a ceremonial meeting with reading of reports, dedicated to Abai. The Kazakh singer performed several songs and poems by Abai. In the theater of Lunacharsky Department was organized an evening in honor of Abai in the Kazakh. Members of the Department Khalel Gabassov and Mukhtar Auezov made reports about the poet in the Kazakh . Abai’s friend Kokbay Zhanatayev said his memories about Abai to his friends. Kazakh students read several poems of the poet, and singers performed some works of the poet.
The third section “Calendar Address” of the Commemorative Book included information, recorded during the poet’s life, that Abai was accepted as a full member of the Semipalatinsk Regional Statistical Committee on May 4, 1886. This edition includes the calendar and reference information, articles by V.P. Nikitin from the history of the Steppe region, V.I. Mayevsky about the Koyandinsky fair.
Taking into account Abai’s research activities in the Statistical Committee, being its full member, his active participation in the creation of the museum, charitable activities in the Care Society on primary education, as a full member, then we know about the historical work of Abai as an educator and scientist.
In the edition of the Regional Statistical Committee in the section “Address calendar” it is written that Abai Kunanbayev is a permanent member of the Semipalatinsk Regional Statistical Committee. This edition includes the calendar and reference information, an ethnographic article by F. Zobnin “Wedding rites and customs among the Kazakh of Ustkamenogorsk district”, travel notes by N. Ya. Konshin “Along the Ustkamenogorsk district”.
The review was compiled on the basis of the records of volunteer correspondents of the Semipalatinsk Regional Statistical Committee, it contains statistical data on the population of villages, livestock, hayfields and sown areas in volost, stanitsa and village administrations.
In an appendix to the review, food prices according to the Semipalatinsk Exchange, information on cargo turnover along the Irtysh River in 1913 and information on the import and export of goods from Russia to the Altai District in 1911, 1912 and 1913 are given.
The most important value of the statistical collection is the presentation of exact historical data about Abai and his surroundings. The publication contains valuable information on the settlements of the counties of the Semipalatinsk region in the form of tables: the names of the elders of the clan, the location of the tract, belonging to the clan, the number of people , the name of the water sources, the number of livestock, residential buildings, farms, the type of activity, the area of mowing and sowing … The table shows data on the households of residents Abai Kunanbayev, his sons Akylbay, Magauiya, Turagul of the Chingiz volost of the administrative district N 1; Shakarim Kudaiberdiev of the administrative district N 2; Berdykozhauly Auezov, grandfather of Mukhtar Omarkhanovich of the administrative district N 8. This information shows accurate data on the social status of the inhabitants of the Kazakh auls of the time of Abai.