Kubanychbek Imanalievich Malikov

September 16th, 2012 Sections: Cutural Life, Kyrgyzstan, Soviet Union, Who's Who

Today marks the anniversary of the birth in 1911 of the Kyrgyz national poet, Kubanychbek Imanalievich Malikov.

To be honest, his name doesn’t run off the tongue as one of the most famous and revered Kyrgyz personalities that I have encountered, however, he was a major figure in Kyrgyz literature and poetry.

Born on September 16th, 1911, (although that was according to the old Julian Calendar), into a poor peasant family in the village of Uch-Emchek, (in what is now the Kant raiyon of the Chui oblast in Northern Kyrgyzstan.

The highlights of his career were:

  • Malikov’s first published works appeared in 1928.
  • In 1931 he graduated from the First Kirghiz Pedagogical Technicum, (Teacher Training College).
  • In 1933 he published his first collection, The Verses of Kubanychbek, in which he commented on the most important events of contemporary life.
  • In 1940 he became a member of the CPSU, (Communist Party of the Soviet Union).
  • From 1946 to 1949 he was the editor of the magazine Sovettik Kirgizstan (Soviet Kirghizstan).
  • His poem Friendship and Love (1949) is devoted to the brotherhood of the Kyrgyz and Russian peoples.
  • Kadyrake, (1952), describes the labour of Kyrgyz miners.
  • He published the collections: Selected Works (1954), Fires in the Mountains (1957), Youth (1958), Orto-Tokoi (1961), Thoughts About the Future (1964), and The Voice From the Rock (1966).
  • Malikov’s dramatic works played an important role in the development of the Kirghiz national theatre. His first plays (such as Kuluipa) were written in the 1930’s.  Following the war Malikov wrote the plays On High Ground (published and staged in 1956), The Heart Is Beating (published and staged 1957), The Girls From the Same Street (published 1960), and Osmonkul (published 1970).
  • Malikov is the co-author of the librettos of the operas Aichurek (staged 1939), Manas (staged 1946), and Toktogul (staged 1958).  He was one of the compilers of a composite variant of the Kirghiz national epos Manas.
  • He also translated works by Pushkin, Lermontov, Nekrasov and Shevchenko into Kyrgyz.
  • Malikov has been awarded the Order of Lenin, four other orders, and a number of medals, including: Soviet Kyrgyz writer; Honoured Art Worker of the Kyrgyz SSR (1947); People’s Poet of Kirghizia (1969).

 

Perhaps his most performed piece of work was the Anthem of the Kyrgyz SSR, which he co-authored with  Tugelbai Sydykbekov, Moldogazy  Tokobaev and Alai Tokombaev.  (The music was composed by Vladimir Vlasov, Abdylas Maldybaev and Vladimir Fere).

The Kyrgyz, longing for freedom rose,
October’s lights the Ala-Too did lit,
the great Russian people warmed us with friendship,
Lenin opened the road to happiness for all of us.

Be famous, our Kyrgyzstan,
raise up Lenin’s banner.
March forward and flourish
on to communism’s way!

Grown in the exploits of fight and labour
providing happiness to the Soviet people.
Leading our country to new victories,
the party of Lenin – power of the people.

Be famous, our Kyrgyzstan,
raise up Lenin’s banner.
March forward and flourish
on to communism’s way!

The union of free nations is indestructible,
the friendship of our peoples is strong as steel,
selflessly we love our fatherland,
we will build communism for the centuries to come.

Be famous, our Kyrgyzstan,
raise Lenin’s banner.
March onward and flourish
on to communism’s way!

 

Here is a clip of the anthem from youtube:

 

 

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