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Literature

Kazakhstan Highlights Its Literary Heritage at the 2025 Frankfurt Book Fair

From October 15 to 19, Kazakhstan took part in the 2025 Frankfurter Buchmesse in Germany – one of the world’s most prominent and influential international book fairs. At its national stand, the country presented a diverse selection of new publications from leading Kazakh publishers to a global readership. Celebrating its 77th edition, this year’s Frankfurt Book Fair featured more than 30 delegates from Kazakhstan, from major publishing houses such as Mektep, Almatykitap, Atamura, ARMAN-PV, Steppe & World Publishing, Evero, Kazformoms, and AmalBooks. [caption id="attachment_38141" align="aligncenter" width="351"] @TCA[/caption] The national pavilion became an important hub for expanding international publishing partnerships. Approximately 350 Kazakh titles were showcased, spanning a wide range of genres from literary fiction and scholarly works to educational and children’s books. Book Presentations and Highlights Several notable book launches took place during the fair. Of particular interest was the multilingual edition Abai’s “Words of Wisdom: Legacy for Generations”, translated into seven languages and presented with the participation of German writer Anja Tuckermann. Another major highlight was a creative presentation of Mirzhakyp Dulatov’s timeless novel “Unfortunate Jamal”, regarded as one of the classics of Kazakh literature. [caption id="attachment_38142" align="aligncenter" width="224"] @TCA[/caption] The Consul General of Kazakhstan in Frankfurt am Main, Tauboldy Umbetbayev, visited the national pavilion to show support for the Kazakh delegation and to emphasize literature’s vital role in promoting cultural diplomacy. Throughout the fair, publishers from Canada, China, Turkey, Azerbaijan, Denmark, Germany, Singapore, and several other countries met with Kazakh representatives to discuss potential collaborations.

Sports

Kazakhstan’s Rybakina Qualifies for WTA Finals with Japan Win

Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan has secured the last available spot in the WTA Tour Finals after a win over Victoria Mboko in Tokyo. Rybakina defeated the Canadian 6-3, 7-6 (4) with big serves and powerful groundstrokes on Friday, reaching the semifinals of the Toray Pan Pacific Open and qualifying for the elite yearend event in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. Eight singles players as well as doubles teams will compete in the November 1-8 WTA finals. Russia-born Rybakina, 26, has won two tournaments this season and will appear in the WTA finals for the third year in a row. She was Wimbledon champion in 2022. “She has such easy power and she moves well. The serve is a killer. She has all the shots and she’s proven she can win on any surface,” Martina Navratilova, who won the tour championships eight times, said in comments posted on the WTA website. “If I were her, I’d work on the slice more, just to change things up. Mix in more drop shots off both wings so she can knife the ball and keep opponents guessing. It’s hard to tell sometimes what she’s thinking on court -- she has a serious game face -- but with the way she’s been playing in Asia, you can’t count her out. She’s playing as well as she has all season.” Rybakina, ranked seventh in the world, now has a 2-1 record against 19-year-old Mboko. She beat the Canadian in the round of 16 in Washington, D.C. in July but lost to her in a third-set tiebreaker in the Montreal semifinals in August. “She was serving so well that it was very difficult,” Rybakina said in an on-court interview after the Tokyo match. The Kazakhstani player saved a set point in the tight second set. The other players who have qualified for the WTA finals are world No. 1 Aryna Sabalenka, Iga Swiatek, Coco Gauff, Amanda Anisimova, Jessica Pegula, Madison Keys and Jasmine Paolini. Gauff won the event last year.

Culture

East Kazakhstan Falconry Festival Brings Together Guardians of Steppe Traditions

The fifth International Falconry Festival was held this month in East Kazakhstan, bringing together falconry masters and custodians of ancient culture from seven countries. A Festival That Brings the Steppe to Life Traditionally held in Ulan district near the village of Bozanbay, the event, also known as Shygys Salburyny, drew more than 100 participants, including falconers and cultural figures from Kazakhstan, as well as guests from Spain, Hungary, Russia, Mongolia, China, and Kyrgyzstan. [caption id="attachment_37948" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] @TCA[/caption] Shygys Salburyny is a celebration of nomadic civilization, where customs and crafts are revived, ancestral songs are sung, ancient rituals performed, and golden eagles once again soar over the steppe. Every gesture of the participants reflects respect for the past, for the harmony between humans and nature, and for the spirit that nurtures strength and nobility. 'Berkutchi' and Golden Eagles: Guardians of the Sky and Steppe For as long as the Kazakh steppe has existed, golden eagles have ruled its skies. Revered for their strength and freedom, their cries louder than the wind, their flight graceful over mountains and rivers, the birds inspired the development of sayat, the art of hunting with birds of prey. From this tradition emerged the berkutchi, a unique brotherhood of falconers. A berkutchi is more than a hunter. He understands nature’s rhythm, reads the wind’s breath, and senses his bird’s mood. The bond between falconer and eagle cannot be imposed; it must be earned. Historically, hunting with golden eagles was a matter of survival, especially in the harsh winter months when eagles provided both meat and feathers for warmth. Over time, sayat evolved into a symbol of spiritual strength, courage, and reverence for nature. A true berkutchi was revered like a batyr, a warrior, respected for his calm, fairness, and poise. [caption id="attachment_37950" align="aligncenter" width="1280"] @TCA[/caption] Training a young eagle is an intricate art, requiring patience and reverence. Eaglets are taken from the nest and slowly trained to accept the falconer’s hand and voice. Trust is built gradually, as the bird learns to recognize and respond to its handler. Every detail is vital from hand movements to shadows on the ground. Before a hunt, the falconer dons an iyanga (sturdy glove) and fits a tomaga (leather hood) on the bird’s head to block light until the moment of release. A whispered prayer to the spirits of the steppe precedes the flight, reminding all that hunting is not conquest, but a respectful exchange with nature. Sayat Today The sayat tradition endures in many parts of Kazakhstan, but East Kazakhstan remains its heartland. “Not every bird flies in immediately,” said Daniyar Nurbek, chief judge of the festival, speaking to The Times of Central Asia. “What matters isn’t force, but mutual understanding. There must be a deep, almost spiritual bond between hunter and eagle, it cannot be commanded, only nurtured.” [caption id="attachment_37951" align="aligncenter" width="600"] @TCA[/caption] Youngsters and Masters The festival welcomed both seasoned falconers and novices. Among them, seven-year-old Abdurashid Mamyrkhan drew particular attention. His father, Mamyrkhan Manayuly, explained that...

Culture

Touching Fairy Tales: In Ust-Kamenogorsk, Books Are Knitted, Sewn, and Brought to Life

At the A.S. Pushkin Library in Ust-Kamenogorsk, East Kazakhstan region, reading has become a tactile adventure. Here, books aren’t just read, they’re knitted, sewn, and handcrafted. Librarians have discovered a magical way to ignite children’s interest in reading: through tactile books that can be touched, flipped through, and even assembled. “The main thing is to find an approach to each child. Even if they haven’t been encouraged to read at home, we can change that in the library,” says Dinara Mergenbayeva, head of the Center for Knowledge. The idea was born from a desire to make books more relatable. “Who says children don’t read? They do, and with great curiosity! They just need something new, lively, and emotional,” she explains. Knitted Books and Soft Stories The library’s first knitted book was a Kazakh-language version of the alphabet primer Әліппе, inspired by Kulmay Sembayeva’s Aripler aleminde (“In the World of Letters”). Each letter is paired with a poem and a small, crocheted animal or object, which children can pull from pockets and explore. “For example, the letter A, next to it are an akhu (swan) and an ayu (bear). We knitted and cut out all the figures ourselves. The materials came from our homes. Even the cover was made from my old suede boots, they’ve found a second life now,” one librarian shares. Another handcrafted creation is Pushkin’s The Tale of the Fisherman and the Fish. In this interactive version, characters can be moved around, allowing children to change the course of the story. Kids act out scenes, invent new endings, and immerse themselves more deeply in the narrative. [caption id="attachment_37026" align="aligncenter" width="355"] @Yulia Chernyavskaya[/caption] There’s even a trilingual crocheted edition of Abai’s The Seasons, in Kazakh, Russian, and English. Its pages include trees, snowflakes, flowers, and ladybugs, all detachable and fastened with buttons. Children can “switch” winter to spring, collect leaves, or “scatter” snow, transforming play into reading. “This helps develop fine motor skills, imagination, and a love of books. The key is to keep it interesting,” notes Mergenbayeva. Books You Won’t Find Anywhere Else Each tactile book is handmade, with production times ranging from three weeks to six months. The entire library staff is involved, from brainstorming to material selection and testing books with children. Special editions are created for older students, including a large-format album commemorating Abai’s 175th anniversary, with sections titled “Abai the Writer,” “Abai the Philosopher,” and “Abai the Musician.” “If a child remembers even one illustration, that’s a success. A book should leave an impression, visual, emotional, any kind,” says a librarian. Each edition includes a QR code linking to a digital version in the library’s electronic collection. When Children Bring Their Parents At Pushkin Library, reading is a family affair. Every Saturday features shared reading sessions, reinforcing the tradition of reading together. “The youngest children come with their parents, and later they’re the ones dragging them back. Kids literally pull their moms and dads to the library,” Mergenbayeva smiles. For teenagers, there’s the Literary...

Architecture

Almaty’s “Tselinny” Cultural Center Featured on Cover of Architectural Record

Kazakhstan’s architectural and cultural landscape has gained rare international recognition: Almaty’s Center for Contemporary Culture “Tselinny” has been featured on the cover of Architectural Record, the world’s oldest architectural magazine, published in the United States since 1891. International Recognition In its latest issue, journalist Andrew Ayers, who visited Almaty for Tselinny’s opening, described the project as “a new face for a former Soviet cinema” and “a gesture of reinterpreting Kazakhstan’s colonial past.” The article emphasized that the design team prioritized local context, with all work carried out by Kazakhstani contractors and interior contributions from young Almaty-based architects. [caption id="attachment_36890" align="aligncenter" width="351"] @Laurian Ghinițoiu[/caption] “Unlike many new museums, the architecture of the center sought to remain rooted in the local context,” the piece noted. Beyond its architectural merits, Architectural Record highlighted Tselinny’s institutional role, describing it as a platform for bolstering Kazakhstan’s still “fragile contemporary art scene.” The cover photograph was taken by Romanian photographer Laurian Ghinitoiu, renowned for his documentation of global architectural landmarks. History of the Building The center officially reopened in September 2025 following a seven-year reconstruction process that weathered both the COVID-19 pandemic and the legal troubles of its principal investor, businessman Kairat Boranbayev. Originally built in 1964 as the Tselinny cinema, the building underwent several renovations during the 1990s and early 2000s. A major overhaul in 2000 saw the main cinema hall divided, the foyer reconfigured, and a celebrated sgraffito mural by artist Yevgeny Sidorkin concealed behind plasterboard. [caption id="attachment_36892" align="aligncenter" width="353"] @Laurian Ghinițoiu[/caption] Boranbayev acquired the building in 2016. Four years later, a comprehensive reconstruction led by British architect Asif Khan began. The project restored the foyer’s original dimensions, revealed Sidorkin’s mural, though now in subdued tones, and transformed the cinema hall into a flexible space for exhibitions and screenings. Today, Tselinny includes a library, café, and workshop spaces. Notably, the reopening ceremony was led by Amantai Kusainbay, who has worked at the site since 1999 and continues to manage its daily operations.

Silk Road

Silk Road Shipwrecks: Virtual Museum Opens Maritime Section

One of Central Asia’s most engaging new cultural projects took on a new dimension last month. The Silk Road Virtual Museum, an online collection of over 20 exhibitions of pre-16th-century Eurasian life and art, has recently opened a section for the ancient trade route’s maritime history. An initiative by the Institute of Asian Studies at Leiden University in the Netherlands, the site allows visitors to move through themed rooms, just as they would wander through a physical museum. Beginning on a map of the world on the museum’s homepage, visitors click on the Silk Road locations that they wish to discover. Each pin on the map takes them to a video replicating a guided tour of art and artefacts from that place at a certain historical era. Just as in a real museum, each exhibit has an information panel explaining what the object is. Life on the Central Asian parts of the Silk Road is shown in exhibitions to Sogdian traders in Samarkand (6th-8th centuries), with camels often featuring in their ceramic art, and a room dedicated to ancient caravanserais (inns that provided lodging for travellers), including at Tash Rabat in Kyrgyzstan. Launched in 2024, the Silk Road Virtual Museum already displays over 1,300 objects in total. Their geographical reach mainly stretches from Venice to China, as the Silk Road is often imagined today – but there are collections from places as unexpected as Sweden and Indonesia. With the launch of the maritime section on 16 September, their scope now spans seas as well as deserts. Virtual visitors can travel along the coasts of the Indian Ocean, where there are already seven shipwreck exhibitions, each with its own unique story. The project is managed by VirtualMuseum360 and supported by an international network of scholars, who aim to make the Silk Road’s many eras and strands accessible to people wherever they are in the world. The web pages have two advantages over traditional museums, in that they are free to access and open 24/7. Leading the Silk Road Virtual Museum (SRVM) is Professor Richard Griffiths, the director of Leiden University’s ‘New Silk Roads’ programme. A distinguished economic historian who has specialised in the history of trade, during a spell teaching in the Chinese city of Chengdu, Griffiths took an interest in China’s Belt and Road Initiative. When he began to trace the policy’s history, he realised that the origins of China’s modern trade with the West can be found in the myths and realities of the ancient Silk Roads. The key to making SRVM work, he says, is collaboration. Griffiths tells The Times of Central Asia: “We’re not replacing real museums – we’re working alongside them. Everything we do depends on the knowledge of academics, archaeologists, and conservators. Together we can make heritage accessible to anyone, anywhere, without losing its depth or integrity.” “Our visitors are a real mix,” he adds. “Often people tell me they use SRVM before a trip, so that when they see objects in a real museum,...