Kazakhstan, 1845 - 1904
Background
He studied at a local madrasah.
Abay’s mindset formation was influenced by poets and scholars of the East, who followed humanistic ideas (Ferdowsi, Alisher Navaiy, Nizami, Fuzuli, Ibn Sina and others), as well as by creations of Russian classics, and through them – by European literature in general. He translated works of Krylov, Lermontov, Pushkin, Goethe and Byron. He was fond of reading eastern poetry, including the Shahnameh and One Thousand and One Nights.
Work
Abay Kunanbayev contributed to the dissemination of the Russian and European culture among Kazakhs.
Abay created about 170 pieces of poetry and 56 translations, wrote poems, prose poem “Kara soz” – “Words of edification” (“Kara sozder”), consisting of 45 brief parables or philosophical treatises. These “Edifications” raise issues of history, pedagogy, morality and rights of ethnic Kazakhs.
He was also a composer and created about two dozen melodies that are popular in modern times.
In 1995, the 150th anniversary of Abai’s birth, UNESCO celebrated it with the “Year of Abai” event.