Kyrgyz Literature
A selection of books
Today would have been the birthday of the Kyrgyz author, Chinghiz Aitmatov, (probably the most widely renowned Kyrgyz author in the West), and it seems an appropriate opportunity to take a brief look at the development of Kyrgyz literature.
Aitmatov wrote in both his native Kyrgyz and in Russian. The Russian gave him access to a much wider audience and brought him the the attention of many important people, such as Mikhail Gorbachev, (and he is supposed to have been one of Gorbachev’s favourite authors). He works have also been translated into many foreign languages, increasing his readership even further. If he had written only in Kyrgyz then it is probably fair to say that his status and reputation would have been severely limited.
Indeed, the story of Kyrgyz literature is closely connected to the development of Kyrgyz as a language, with many linguists and philologists playing an important role.
Because the nomadic Kyrgyz had no written language until the twentieth century and relied on oral tradition, most of the information about them come from external sources such as the Chinese Chronicles. That is not to say, however, that there was no literature.
Ancient written sources, for example, include the works of such characters as Balasugin , Kashgari and Babur.
The stories of the nomadic Kyrgyz were communicated down through the centuries by means of oral tradition. They included a wide variety of legends and folk tales, songs and poems, and a number of longer works called epics – most notably the Manas Epic. It is probably correct to Kyrgyz literature, as such, is a recent development and can be said to have really begun with the transcription of folk tales and epic works in the early twentieth century.
In the early years of the twentieth century, most local authors were published in Russian or Tatar newspapers – and, indeed, the publisher of the first book published in Kyrgyzstan was apparently Karimov Husainov and Co. – a Tatar company. At the time of the Revolution in 1917, the printing house in Frunze, (now Bishkek), was nationalised along with all the libraries.
The following year saw the establishment of the first Kyrgyz newspapers: “Pishpekskiy listok“, (Pishpek Paper or Pishkek Sheet) in the capital and “Golos Prolitariata“, (Voice of the Prolitariat), in Prezhervalsk, (Karakol).
Poetry has been a notable element of the literary tradition and a number of early collections were published as early as in the 1920’s. Under the Soviets, many of these had a political character – such as the collection of Tokombaev’s poems, “About Lenin”, published in 1927. Tokombaev also went on to write “Bloody Years” – a “novel in verse”.
Most of the literature of this period was realistic in style, but at the same served as propaganda reflecting the hopes, “aspirations and expectations of the people”. Poets and authors tried to catch the spirit of the age whilst telling about important historical events or about the everyday experiences which would have been familiar to readers: the family; romance; interpersonal relationships; folklore plots and motifs. One of the themes which emerged early on, and is found in works throughout the Soviet period is the role of women in society and women’s rights.
Because of the lack of books written in Kyrgyz, school programmes were usually conducted in Russian, Kazakh, Uzbek or Tartar languages. In 1924, however, a series of twelve textbooks in Kyrgyz were published, with a combined circulation of 28,000 copies, along with a methodological work by Arabaev. November 7th of the same year saw the publication of the first Kyrgyz language newspaper, “Erkin Too“, which is still published today and is the government’s official newspaper.
As a result, step by step, the development of professional Kyrgy literature began to take form, with authors like Baiyalinov, Bokonbaev, Djantoshev, Elebaev, Karachev, Tokobaev, Tokombaev, Turusbekov, Tynystanov, Sydybekov … many of whose names will be recognizable from a quick glance at a Bishkek street map. A large contribution in this development was also played by akyns such as: Kalyk Akiev, Alykulov, Bolabalaev, Djutakeev, Satylganov (Toktogul), Shaibekov, Togolok Moldo, (many of whom also have Bishkek streets named in their honour).
Most of the prose being written at this time was short stories, published in newspapers and magazines. The first examples of humourous writings also appeared.
In the 1930’s the journal “Chabuul” featured a number of short stories, poems and scholarly articles and the first “full length” novels appeared: Elebaeva’s “Long Way” in 1936, Sydykbekov’s “Ken-Suu” and Zhantosheva’s “Kanybek”, in 1937-8.
A Union of Writers was established in April 1934 under the chairmanship of Alay Tokombaev, (whose statute can be seen next to the Museum of Fine Arts on Abdrachmaniva – formerly Sovietskaya). Under Tokombaev’s leadership, the Union formerly adopted the policy of Gorky’s “Socialist Realism” as a standard approach to be used in future literary development.
The same decade saw the establishment of the Kyrgyz State Theatre which led to the development of theatrical arts and the creation of play scripts, opera librettos and ballet scores. There was also an increase in stories about historical events, (apparently the events of 1916 attracted a lot of attention), and biographical accounts of notable characters. A major theme explored by writers and poets was work and collectivization, work ethics, new technologies in both village and city life and new forms of management.
During the war years, there was a natural tendency to explore themes of patriotism, heroism, both in combat and on the “home front”, and inter-national relationships between the various ethnic groups of the Soviet Union, as in the works of Bokonbaev, Djantoshev, Malikov, Osmonov, Sydybekov, Tokombaev and Umetaliev. Amongst the members of the Writer’s Union to perish in combat were Elebaev, Esenkojoev and Turusbekov.
After the war, in 1948, the publication of Sydykova’s “People of our days” provided a stimulus for the new genre of the Kyrgyz novel, winning the Stalin Prize and being translated in several foreign languages. The period saw the emergence of a host of new writers, but it was also a difficult period with prosecutions or suppression of several writers for exhibiting a reaction against the socialist realism, (including such established notable figures as Tokombaev and Osmonov), and some were dismissed from their posts.
For a while, even the Manas Epic was forbidden, but a conference organized in 1952 released it from the obscurity which the repression was likely to dismiss it.
The printing and publishing industry thrived with some 5 national, 10 oblast and 70 local newspapers being published – with a combined circulation of about 160,000 copies; some in Russian, others in Kyrgyz and yet others in bilingual editions.
In the 1950’s there emerged a number of several notable examples of prose writing – by authors such as Chinghiz Aitmatov and Karimova – introducing an element of realism.
The historical novel re-emerged in importance in the next decade, particularly in the epic “Broken Sword” which told about the life of the Kyrgyz under the Kokand Khanate. The decade also saw an increase in membership of the Union of Writers, (from about 30 members to over 245), and the start of a trend in which authors addressed a number of psychological, and even what could be called “spiritual”, themes; a tend which was to continue into the eighties.
In 1965, to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the birth of Satylganov Toktogul, the Toktogul Prize was instituted, and the first people to be awarded it were Tokombaev and Abumomunov. Three years later, the honourary titles “People’s Writer” and “People’s Poet” of the Kyrgyz SSR were established and the first people to be honoured with them were Chinghiz Aitmatov, Djantoshev, Sydybekov and Umetaliev.
It was in the 1980’s that several works were published that had previously been forbidden, including works by Tokombaev, Elebaev and Malikov.
There were also considerable numbers of works written and published specifically for children.
Since independence, at least, according to one literary scholar, “the quality and diversity of books has declined sharply, and professional literati have been forced to find occupations in other fields. In the past, the state took care of the publication and distribution of books,” … and enigmatically adding, “regardless of their quality.” However, in a fascinating paper, he also points out that independence has brought about an artistic freedom as authors have been able to cast off the limitations imposed by “ideological dogma and socialist homogeneity”.
There are books by local authors being published nowadays, in both Russian and Kyrgyz, and as well as original works by Kyrgyz authors, there were works by writers of other nationalities published – notably, but not exclusively, Russians and Dungans – translated into Kyrgyz and thus making available a much wider literary heritage. In April, for example, I wrote a postcard which featured a translation of Ella Maillart’s Turkestan Solo into Kyrgyz.
I would like to be able to say that I had read a number of the works and authors that I have referred to … but I have to admit that I haven’t – although I have read ABOUT them. Unfortunately, most literary works written in Kyrgyz have not been translated into other languages, although some have been published in Russian versions. Although I find it difficult, I can read Russian but, alas, not Kyrgyz – and so Ihave to rely on the few translations that I can track down.
Last August, for example, I wrote a postcard about an anthology translated and published by Mukan Asanaliev. Most of the poets that he featured are modern, contemporary, (indeed, many of them are still alive), but it represents at least a start in bringing this rich vein of literature to a wider audience.
Bishkek