One of the traditions of our department was a trip-excursion with students of curatorial groups to the tract Zhidebai, where there is a museum of the Kunanbayev family. 18.05.2024 faculty members of the Department of Molecular Biology and Medical Genetics named after Academician of NAS RK T.K.Raissov – Ibrayeva G.R., Ғalymbekov D.J., Essentaeva A.M., Yelkenova B.Z., Kozhakhmetova B.B., Daneshova A.M., Kulzhebaeva S.R., together with curatorial groups of the department: 1217, 1219, 1220, 1230, 1231, 1233 OP “Medicine” and “Pediatrics” – visited the memorial complex, erected in 1995 to the 150th anniversary of the great Abay. The trip was accompanied by a car of traffic police officers.

Zhidebai tract is located near the river Karaul in Abai district of Abai region. At one time an ancestor of Tobykty family – Zhigetek lived here. In the middle of the 19th century it passed into possession of the senior sultan Kunanbai Oskenbayuly, and he erected a hut here. The great Kazakh poet Abai built a madrasah here in 1880. After Kunanbai’s death this area was inherited by Abai’s brother Ospan.

The poet moved here in 1894, in 1892 his brother Ospan, who lived here, died, and Abai had to marry his widow Yerkezhan according to the law of amanger. And so he moved to the family estate and lived here for the last 10 years of his life. This period was very fruitful. Abay wrote here “Words of edification”. He built a wintering house according to his plan. It was destroyed and rebuilt on the 125th anniversary according to eyewitnesses. In 1945, by the 100th anniversary of Abai, the wintering house was reorganized into a house-museum

The house recreates the atmosphere of the time in which Abai lived and worked. The genealogical tree of Abai’s family is presented. Abai’s descendants live in Almaty, they are Aidos Ernesuly and Daniyar Aidaruly Akylbaev. One of the sections familiarizes with the guests of Abai’s aul. Among them were composers, singers Birzhan sal Kozhagulov, Madi Bapiyev, pupils of Abai, successors of his literary traditions, poets Arip Tanirbergenov, Aset Naimanbaev, Waiys Shondybaev. The poets disseminated orally the works of their mentor in other counties. Continuing Abai’s traditions, they studied works of Russian classical literature and made translations. The next section of the exposition reflects Abai’s friendly relations with political exiles. They helped him to deeply study Russian and Western European fiction and historical literature. Abai’s exiled friends were guests of his aul.

As the guide noted, the last 10 years of the poet’s life were spent in Zhidebai tract. They were filled with fruitful labor. In Zhidebai, 75-76 lyric poems of Abay were written. Here he also wrote 27 out of 45 “Words of edification”, translated works by Lermontov and Krylov. Zhidebai was a source of poetic inspiration and philosophical reflections for Abay.

There is also a reconstructed shoshala (smokehouse, refrigerator) in the house – a place where meat was smoked and hung on wooden poles. A cauldron stands in the center. Outside, under a canopy of wooden poles, you can see wagons – winter and summer versions.

The floor in the living room is covered with handmade carpets – sirmak. A pile carpet hangs on the wall. Among the exhibits you can see an ancient musical instrument – kobyz. Also in the living room there is a table with the national game Togyzkumalak, counters.

The working room is Abay’s favorite room, here the poet spent a lot of time. He worked, read, wrote poems. All the furnishings of the room preserved the creative atmosphere. On the desk there is a manuscript of the great poet, a pen and books. Abay’s manuscript is a letter to his son Magauye. In the cupboard and on the table there are books in five languages.

The memorial complex “Abai-Shakarim” was built to the 150th anniversary of Abai, in 1995. The architect of the complex is Bek Ibrayev. The complex is made of white Mangistau limestone-shellstone. The stylobate platform is 200 meters long and 65 meters wide. The height of the platform is 5 meters. The platform consists of three tiers – three levels of the universe according to Kazakh mythology. The lower tier – black – denotes the underworld, the middle – red – life on earth and the upper – white – the higher world of spirits and Allah. The height of the tower where Abay is buried is 32.5 meters, the height of the tower where Shakarim is buried is 31.5 meters

In the center of the complex there is an amphitheater – a stage at the bottom and seats for spectators at the top. Here poets compete in reading poems and cultural events are held.

Everyone enjoyed the trip very much, everyone was very happy. The students suggested that such trips should be more frequent.

Galymbekov D.Zh., teacher of the Department of Molecular Biology and Medical Genetics named after Academician of the National Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Kazakhstan T.K. Raissov