Our People > Duisenali Alimakyn

Duisenali Alimakyn is a Kazakh journalist, translator, and researcher covering literature, culture, and science. His research, including at the George Washington University, has a strong focus on Western narratives about Central Asia over the centuries.

Articles

Diplomacy

Shared Values, Shared Voices: An Interview With Spain’s Ambassador to Kazakhstan

In recent years, cultural cooperation between Spain and Kazakhstan has gained new momentum. Although the two countries are separated by a vast geographical distance, their cultural ties are growing closer through shared values. The Embassy of Spain in Kazakhstan has implemented a number of major projects in this regard. TCA spoke with the Ambassador of Spain to Kazakhstan, Luis Martínez Montes. TCA: It’s been several months since you became the Ambassador to Kazakhstan. What aspects of our culture do you enjoy? LMM: In fact, this is my second diplomatic posting to Kazakhstan. The first was from 1999 to 2002, when Spain opened its embassy in Almaty before moving to Astana. Twenty-five years later, I’ve returned as Ambassador to a country I consider my second home. There are so many things I love about Kazakhstan, including its nature and its gastronomy, that it’s hard to choose. But if I had to pick one, it would be the people, especially the younger generations. I spend much of my time visiting schools and universities, where I see a tremendous energy and thirst for knowledge among Kazakh students. I organize weekly lectures, debate clubs, and informal lunches at my residence with students and Kazakh intellectuals. Their conversations enrich me and help me better understand the direction this country is taking. TCA: You once mentioned that you visited the Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasawi. What impression did it leave on you? LMM: I visited Turkistan in 1999, and I have a memorable anecdote from that trip. While visiting the mausoleum, the local guide found out I was from Spain and enthusiastically mentioned Ibn Arabi, the great Sufi poet from Al-Andalus [the name for Spain during its Islamic period]. She spoke of him as a near-contemporary of Ahmed Yasawi. I’m grateful for that moment because it was through this cultivated Kazakh woman who could recite at length poems by both Sufi sages that I developed my lifelong admiration for Ibn Arabi. I found it truly fascinating that two poets, Ibn Arabi and Khoja Ahmed Yasawi, living at opposite ends of the Eurasian continent, could produce such profound and beautiful poetry, inspired by the same spiritual quest for God. TCA: Abai Kunanbayuly, like Cervantes, elevated a nation’s literature and culture. We translated Cervantes into Kazakh many years ago, and Don Quixote has been reprinted many times. We also heard that Abai’s works have been translated into Spanish. How has the Spanish readership received him? LMM: As you know, the late Pope Francis, who was from Argentina, quoted Abai more than a dozen times at the opening of the Seventh Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in 2022. Some works by Abai were translated into Spanish in 2020 by María Sánchez Puig, who received the Order of Dostyk for her work in bringing Kazakh literature closer to Spanish-speaking audiences. Another project is currently underway to translate selections from Abai’s Book of Words into Spanish this year. We’re also developing the first Kazakh-Spanish dictionary to make it...

10 months ago

Entrepreneurship

Kazakh Entrepreneur in Paris Launches Perfume Inspired by the “Kiz-Jibek” Epic

An ethnic Kazakh living in Paris has launched a perfume called Kiz-Jibek on the French market. Its founder, Nurzhan Tolegen, was born in China’s Ili Kazakh region and grew up in Kulja before eventually settling in the French capital. “I am the grandson of a nomadic people. My grandparents left their homeland during the civil war, carrying with them the soul of Kazakhstan etched into their stories, their songs, and their memories. Yet I had never set foot on those vast steppes whose grandeur my mother, a professor of literature, so often evoked,” he shares on his personal website. [caption id="attachment_35686" align="aligncenter" width="466"] Nurzhan Tolegen; image: www.tolegenparis.com[/caption] In 2021, Nurzhan traveled to Kazakhstan for the first time, spending a month reconnecting with his ancestral homeland. Those four weeks felt like a rebirth for him and marked a turning point in his life. Returning to France, he established a luxury perfume house, Tolegen Paris: a tribute to both his surname and to a heroic figure celebrated in a 16th-century Kazakh epic. In May 2025 he introduced Kiz-Jibek, describing it as “a fragrance honoring eternal love” and “a scent laced with wormwood.” The Kiz-Jibek epic, a cornerstone of Kazakh cultural heritage, reflects the values of traditional society. It emphasizes unity and loyalty to the homeland while exploring universal themes of love, virtue, honesty, and beauty. Through the character of Kiz-Jibek, one encounters the timeless image of the Kazakh woman—gentle yet resilient, modest yet dignified. [caption id="attachment_35688" align="aligncenter" width="624"] The epic characters Kiz-Jibek and Tolegen[/caption] For over five centuries, Kazakhs have sung the tale of Kiz-Jibek. Its central figures—Bazarbai, Tolegen, Kiz-Jibek, and Sansyzbai—are believed to have lived in history, with the story unfolding along the Ural River among the Jagalbaily tribe. In both the epic and the famous film, Tolegen is treacherously slain by Bekezhan, after which Kiz-Jibek, devastated by grief, throws herself into the river.

11 months ago

History

Henry Wallace’s Journey to Central Asia and Its Connection to Kazakhstan

Central Asia has long held significance for the Western world — both in the past century and today. The region is home to ancient peoples and rich indigenous traditions. As a journalist from Kazakhstan, I became curious about the cultural ties between the United States and my country. In 2023, I studied at George Washington University through the Bolashak scholarship program to explore this subject in depth. My research led me to numerous works written by American travelers and scholars. Among them, I discovered a book authored by former U.S. Vice President Henry Wallace, based on his journey to Central Asia. [caption id="attachment_35215" align="aligncenter" width="351"] Henry WallaceCredit Hudson Institute[/caption] His book, Soviet Asia Mission, was published in New York in 1946 and reflects observations from that trip. During this special mission in 1944, Wallace first traveled through Siberia, where he studied the conditions of the local population, before continuing on to the Kazakh steppe. Wallace describes the social and political realities of Kazakhstan under Soviet rule, as well as the industrial projects that caught his attention. As a senior American politician, he was particularly interested in production and agriculture. “Down to meet us at the airfield was the director, Georg Georgevich Spitsen. In motorcars, we drove at once to the largest of Karaganda's three big open-pit coal mines. With a sweeping gesture, Spitsen said: “We are digging 6,000 tons of coal a day here. Production began a year ago." A proud shovel operator, scooping up tons of run-of-mine coal to load into steel hopper cars, waved to us. The tracks were driven directly into the cut. We looked closely at the shovel's trademark. It was a Bucyrus Erie electric shovel, one of three at work here, and had been shipped in under lend-lease from the United States.” His journey to Kazakhstan in the previous century demonstrates that U.S.–Kazakh political contacts began earlier than is often assumed.. Although Kazakhstan’s place in the Soviet system was highly constrained, Wallace’s account provides valuable insight into the wartime Soviet republics.. “After lunch at Karaganda, we took off, flying southwest over very dry country. Even the streams were dried out, except in deep valleys where clusters of huts could be seen in the midst of green oases. When still a long distance away, we could see a wide expanse of water ahead. It was Lake Balkhash, bright blue in the midst of gray, treeless country. Along the shore rose the smoking stacks of smelters. On landing at the dirt airfield, we were welcomed to the copper-smelting town of Balkhash by its mayor, Anna Stepanovna Piribinus, president of the city Soviet.” His next stop was Semipalatinsk (today’s Semey). There Wallace spoke with Dimitri Chuvakhin of the Soviet Foreign Office, who accompanied him on the trip. “This kind of thing,” he said, referring to the new towns we had seen, “this kind of thing saved Russia. Trotsky was against it; he thought there had to be a world revolution. Stalin had faith in the moral stamina of...

11 months ago

History

How Did Kazakh Poet Abai Qunanbaiuly`s Name Reach the U.S.?

Kazakh literature is filled with towering figures who have shaped the nation’s cultural and spiritual identity. Among them, Abai Qunanbaiuly (1845–1904) remains the most iconic. A poet, philosopher, and intellectual of global stature, Abai left behind a legacy that continues to resonate within world literature. As Kazakhstan celebrates the 180th anniversary of his birth, it is a fitting moment to explore how his influence extended far beyond the steppe, reaching as far as the United States. George Kennan: The American Who Introduced Abai to the World In 1885, American journalist George Kennan visited Semey (then Semipalatinsk) and was deeply impressed by the city’s public library. To his surprise, local Kazakhs actively borrowed and read books, a rare sight for that time and region. In his influential work Siberia and the Exile System, Kennan specifically mentioned Abai, marking one of the earliest references to the Kazakh thinker in Western literature. Kennan’s account stands out for its authenticity. It is based not on secondhand stories but on direct observation. His writings confirm Abai’s presence in Semey’s intellectual life and suggest that the poet had begun to attract attention well beyond the Kazakh steppe. [caption id="attachment_34625" align="alignnone" width="232"] Credit «Siberia and the Exile System», by George Kennan[/caption] From Kennan’s descriptions, we gain insight into what Abai read, who his associates were, and how his worldview aligned with major thinkers of the time. Abai’s intellectual growth was greatly influenced by E. P. Mikhaelis, a Russian political exile and lifelong friend. Under Mikhaelis’s guidance, Abai refined his reading habits and began a new phase of self-education. Through Mikhaelis, he was introduced to other exiled Russian intellectuals such as S. S. Gross, A. A. Leontiev, and N. I. Dolgopolov. These thinkers were struck by Abai’s intellectual depth, civic engagement, and dedication to the betterment of his people. In return, Abai introduced them to Kazakh culture, history, and oral traditions, becoming a cultural bridge between East and West. [caption id="attachment_34627" align="alignnone" width="300"] Аbai and E.P. Mikhaelis[/caption] Kennan also described the library in Semey, where Abai was a frequent visitor and reader. Since the original excerpt is in English, it is often shared as an image in historical archives rather than a transcription. [caption id="attachment_34628" align="alignnone" width="201"] Credit «Siberia and the Exile System», by George Kennan[/caption] [caption id="attachment_34629" align="alignnone" width="300"] The exterior appearance of the library in Semey where Abai was a reader[/caption] Abai’s Songs and Wesleyan University Abai’s influence extended not only through literature but also through music. In 1970, Wesleyan University Press in Connecticut published Music of Central Asia: Essays on the History of Music of the Peoples of the USSR, a groundbreaking volume by V. Belyaev and other scholars. The book includes a chapter titled Kazakh Music: From the 15th Century to the Mid-18th Century, which devotes special attention to Abai’s musical legacy. Belyaev describes Abai as a progressive thinker and a voice for enlightenment, quoting one of his famous verses: "Song opens the doors of the world to you, Song opens the death to...

11 months ago

History

The First Kazakh Comic and Its Cultural Significance

In the early 20th century, educated Kazakh thinkers were known as Alash intellectuals. Disillusioned by the Russian Empire’s growing control over the Kazakh people, they sought to establish an independent Kazakh state and protect their nation from imperial oppression. Their political and cultural struggle laid the foundation for modern Kazakhstan’s independence. The Alash Orda, a successor to the 19th-century Kazakh enlightenment movement, evolved into a more politically assertive and nationalist organization representing Kazakhs in southern Central Asia. Formed in March 1917 by prominent figures including Alikhan Bokeikhanuly, Akhmet Baitursynuly, Mirzhakyp Dulatuly, and Khalel Dosmukhameduly, the group participated in the Pan-Muslim Congress in Moscow that May. However, the congress, largely driven by Tatar leaders, failed to address Kazakh concerns, further alienating them. As a result, the Kazakhs withdrew from future congresses and focused on developing their own political structures. The Alash movement ultimately became the leading force guiding the Kazakh people during this turbulent era. [caption id="attachment_34521" align="aligncenter" width="347"] Zhusipbek Aimauytov with his daughter; image: alash.semeylib.kz[/caption] Zhusipbek Aimauytov, one of the prominent members of the Alash movement, authored important literary works such as Kartkózha, Akbilek, and Kúnékéýdiń jazyq dalasy. He was also a statesman and cultural figure who fell victim to Soviet repression, accused of nationalist sympathies. Arrested in 1929, he was sentenced to death in absentia in 1931. Despite his short life, Aimauytov left a lasting mark on Kazakh culture and literature. His writings consistently emphasized that national progress requires sacrifice, effort, and resistance against ignorance and injustice. [caption id="attachment_34523" align="aligncenter" width="826"] Cover page of Aimauytov`s comic book published in 1929[/caption] One of Aimauytov’s lesser-known yet significant contributions was the first Kazakh comic book, Ugly Headwear, which was written for children. Published in 1929 by the Kazidat publishing house, the work is composed in verse and meant to both entertain and educate young readers. The story explores timeless themes such as social injustice, class conflict, and moral reasoning. The tale begins with a poor villager and his family — a frail wife and three strong sons. They own little: one brown horse and a single cow. When the village head visits and demands taxes, he takes the family’s only cow by force and beats the father. This dramatic opening immediately draws the reader in and sets the tone for the rest of the story, which critiques the social conditions of the time. The motif of the marginalized challenging the dominant recurs across many world literatures. Known for addressing political and societal issues in his work, Aimauytov continues this in Ugly Headwear. The village leaders, religious figures, and even the wealthy refuse to help the poor man, claiming taxes are mandated by the Tsar and must be paid. Eventually, the desperate man turns to the Russian district chief, only to be humiliated and chased away. In a symbolic scene, the man’s hat — the “ugly headwear” — becomes the central object of the story. It is lost, found by a dog, taken to a barn, and later discovered by someone who...

12 months ago

History

Bridging Empires: A Japanese Historian on Kazakh-Qing Relations

Last year, I came across Professor Jin Noda’s research from the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies: The Kazakh Khanates Between the Russian and Qing Empires: Central Eurasia International Relations during the 18th–19th Centuries. As it explores Kazakh history, particularly letters written by Khan Ablai and other sultans to the Qing emperor, I reached out to Professor Noda to ask a few questions. TCA: What inspired you to write this book? Noda: I thought there was a great divide between studies of Central Asia from the Russian side and those from the Qing Chinese side. To bridge this gap, I decided to research Kazakh history using both Russian and Chinese sources. TCA: You published letters from 1779 related to Ablai Khan. What is their social significance? Jin Noda: While the “social significance” isn’t entirely clear to me, the letters are important for Kazakhs as evidence of relations with the Qing Dynasty. They also reflect Ablai’s authority — sending letters to the Qing emperor signified his direct contact with the imperial court. TCA: Were these letters originals? What challenges did you face studying them? Jin Noda: I accessed microfilmed versions at the First Historical Archive in Beijing. The poor image quality made them difficult to read, and some texts were unreadable. TCA: How much did you rely on Chinese sources, and how reliable are they? Jin Noda: For my PhD and the book, I used many Manchu documents. While they have their biases, they also offer valuable new information on the Kazakhs. I cross-referenced them with Russian sources from the same era. TCA: Are there many historical records about Kazakhs in Japan? How should they be studied? Jin Noda: Some records exist, particularly from the Japanese military’s interest in Xinjiang after the Russo-Japanese War. For Kazakhs under Russian rule, one rare case is the Kazakh politician Marsekov contacting the Japanese government during the revolution. His letter’s translation is preserved in a Japanese archive and was recently studied by Prof. Uyama and Mr. Ono. TCA: Apart from Sultan Gubaidolla’s well-known letter, did you find other sources related to him? Jin Noda: I collected Russian archival documents on his activity around 1824 in Almay and Omsk. He is known for his role in protesting Russian colonisation. TCA: As a foreign researcher, how do you assess Kazakh-Qing political relations? Jin Noda: Traditionally, Chinese discourse portrayed the Kazakhs as distant vassals. However, Qing sources place them closer to the empire, like the Mongols or the Torghuts. I believe the Kazakh khans understood the strategic advantage in their relations with the Qing. These ties held unique importance for both sides. TCA: You’ve also used Manchu archives. What did they reveal? Jin Noda: Manchu documents are rich sources — essentially direct reports from Xinjiang officials to the emperor. While they reflect the officials’ own motivations, they offer a vivid picture of the Kazakhs’ contact with the Qing. TCA: Have you received proposals to translate your book into Kazakh? Jin Noda: I’ve recently received a proposal to translate it...

12 months ago

Kazakh writer

How The New York Times Came to Publish an Obituary for Kazakh writer Mukhtar Auezov

While browsing old issues of The New York Times, we wondered: “Is there anything here about the Kazakhs or Kazakhstan?” One edition stood out, the June 28, 1961 issue. On page 35, alongside obituaries for several prominent figures, was one for our great writer, Mukhtar Auezov. [caption id="attachment_33412" align="aligncenter" width="378"] “Winner of Lenin Prize in 1959 for 2-Volume Work Dies Mukhtar O. Auezov, the Kazakh poet and philosopher whose two-novel work, ‘Abai’ and ‘The Road of Abai,’ earned a Lenin Prize two years ago, died yesterday in Alma-Ata.”[/caption] The article went on to note that Mukhtar Auezov was born and raised in the Shyngystau region (known today as the Abai District), and later wrote a major work about the life of Abai. It also mentioned that he studied at Leningrad University and authored numerous literary works. In 1960, Auezov visited several U.S. states as part of a Soviet writers’ delegation. Upon returning home, he expressed in interviews his admiration for the towering skyscrapers of New York City. What pleased us even more was that The New York Times included a photograph of Auezov alongside the obituary. This shows that even in the 1960s, American literary circles recognized and took notice of a Kazakh writer. In other words, Auezov left a lasting impression on the American public. Other articles about him may have appeared in the U.S. press, but so far this obituary is the only one we have been able to find. Mukhtar Omarkhanuli Auezov holds the distinction of being the first known Kazakh writer to set foot on American soil. His official visit was well covered by the U.S. press and known to the American public at the time. This likely explains why such a major publication honored him with a dedicated obituary, informing readers around the world of his passing. The gesture reflects a significant level of respect and recognition. Mukhtar Auezov indeed visited the United States from February 17 to March 17, 1960, as part of a delegation of Soviet writers. This trip was part of the “Agreement Between the United States of America and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics on Exchanges in the Cultural, Technical, and Educational Fields.” According to the agreement, four American writers visited the USSR in 1959, and in return, a Soviet delegation traveled to the U.S. in February/March 1960. To give readers a closer look at his journey, we are sharing excerpts from Mukhtar Auezov’s diary, where he reflects on the trip. The entries were later published in a bilingual edition, Mukhtar Auezov: Impressions of America, in 2021, in both Kazakh and English. Below are a few details from Auezov’s impressions of the U.S.: That day we toured Washington, D.C. It’s a very beautiful city. No two houses look alike. Even the cars are all different, though there are many, they never repeat. We visited the old part of the city, the area known as ‘Georgetown.’ All the houses here are old, yet highly stylish, elegant two-story homes. There is one...

1 year ago

History

A British Scholar’s Glimpse into Kazakh Life a Century Ago

A century ago, in 1925, British historian, writer, and revolutionary Ralph Fox published People of the Steppes, a compelling account of his travels offering rare insights into the life and culture of the Kazakh people. Fox (1900–1936) was no ordinary observer. A journalist, Marxist, and author of biographies on Lenin and Genghis Khan, he traveled through Soviet Central Asia in the early 1920s and spent his final years working at the Marx-Engels Institute in Moscow, where he wrote his last major tome. In the foreword to People of the Steppes, Fox states that his aim was not political propaganda but to record what he had witnessed. His observations, written as he journeyed through the steppe from the Orenburg region to the Aral Sea, provide a vivid portrait of nomadic life. As the train carried him across Turkestan, Fox was struck by the sights outside his window: “For the first time I see, through the train windows, the round black tents of the nomads, shaped like broad beehives, and I whisper to myself that under just such a tent was Chingiz Khan born… Sometimes there passes a family on the march, the elders and children perched above their household goods on the beautiful shaggy Bactrian camels, the youths on horseback, small, sturdy ponies. It is all strange to me and I feel a beauty of slowness and order in their movements, the eternal rhythm of a wandering shepherd's life.” Fox shortly visited a nomadic camp, recording his impressions in the sub-section “The Tents of the Kazakhs”. “We sat on some empty crates and watched the hens scutter across the floor," he wrote, "while his wife, a quiet, kindly woman, brought us a bowl of Kummis (Mare’s milk) to drink." The hospitality of the Kazakhs left a lasting impression: “ They roused me when the meal was ready. ‘The Kazaks, men and women, sat round the pot in the dim tent, for smoke filled all the upper part now, and the sun had set. Brown arms were thrust into the mess, or painted wooden spoons, while we dainty whites were given wooden bowls. ‘The meat was tough and greasy, and to me only the little cakes of dough were palatable, though they were gritty with sand, so I did not eat much… It was all fantastic around that evil-smelling fire.” The next day, Fox encountered a group of Lesser Horde Kazakhs migrating from Siberia along the Syr Darya River. He noted that some had already settled in Torgai, while others aimed to reach the Urals. “ Once there, they would willingly sell off their surplus stock to buy their necessities on the bazaars to last them through the following year, at Kazalinsk, at Jussali, at Perovsk and ‘Turkestan, the great bazaars of the Syr Daria.” Fox also explored the broader historical and cultural context of the Kazakhs, noting that their nomadic lifestyle limited the development of written literature but fostered rich oral traditions and epic poetry: “It is hard to unravel their...

1 year ago

Cultural Heritage

The Photographs of Prokudin-Gorsky: A Glimpse of a Lost World

Using the emerging technology of color photography, Sergey Mikhaylovich Prokudin-Gorsky (1863–1944) undertook several photographic expeditions to capture images of the Russian Empire. Most of his work took place between 1909 and 1915, though some photographs date as early as 1905. At the time, the Russian Empire stretched roughly 7,000 miles east to west and 3,000 miles north to south. It encompassed one-sixth of the Earth’s land surface, making it the largest empire in history, spanning what are now eleven time zones. [caption id="attachment_32008" align="aligncenter" width="484"] Abutment for a dam and house belonging to the government. [Kuzminskoe] Prokudin-Gorsky, Sergey Mikhaylovich, 1912[/caption]Tsar Nicholas II supported Prokudin-Gorsky’s ambitious endeavor by granting him travel permits and access to various modes of transportation, including trains, boats, and automobiles. His journeys are preserved in photographic albums that include the original negatives. One album also features miscellaneous images, including scenes from other parts of Europe. The photographs capture a broad array of subjects: religious architecture and shrines (churches, cathedrals, mosques, and monasteries); religious and secular artifacts (such as vestments, icons, and items linked to saints, former Tsars, and the Napoleonic Wars); infrastructure and public works (railroads, bridges, dams, and roads); a variety of industries (including mining, textile production, and street vending); agricultural scenes (like tea plantations and field work); portraits, which often showed people in traditional dress, as well as cityscapes, villages, natural landscapes, and blooming plants. Besides being a photographer, Sergey Prokudin-Gorsky was a chemist who is renowned for his pioneering contributions to color photography in the early 20th century. In 1901, he traveled to Berlin to study photochemistry before returning to Russia, where he outfitted a railroad car as a mobile darkroom with the support of Tsar Nicholas II. As he traveled across the Russian Empire, he documented its people and landscapes, eventually earning recognition in Russia, Germany, and France. In 1906, he was appointed head of the photography section of Fotograf-Liubitel, Russia’s leading photography journal. One of his most famous works is a color portrait of Leo Tolstoy, taken in 1908. “By capturing the result of artistic inspiration in the full richness of its colors on the light-sensitive photographic plate, we pass the priceless document to future generations,” wrote Prokudin-Gorsky. As a nobleman, inventor, professor, and pioneer of color photography in Russia, Prokudin-Gorsky had a deep sense of national identity and heritage. Although he was unable to complete his grand project due to the outbreak of World War I and increasing social unrest across the Russian Empire, he still managed to capture photographs in regions such as the Urals, Siberia, Crimea, Dagestan, Finland, and Central Asia, as well as along the Volga and Oka rivers. Unfortunately, much of his photographic archive was lost in the aftermath of the 1917 Revolution. Prokudin-Gorsky created unique black-and-white negatives using a triple-frame method, taking three separate exposures through blue, green, and red filters. This technique allowed the images to be printed or projected in color, often for magic lantern slide presentations. The complete collection of 1,902 triple-frame glass...

1 year ago

History

Marking Victory Day: When Kazakh WWII Snipers Made the News in Australia

When we speak of the Second World War, Kazakhstan has never wavered in honoring the bravery of those who went to the front lines eight decades ago. Historical records show that more than 1.2 million people from the Kazakh Soviet Socialist Republic took part in the war. Over 500 of them were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Among these valiant fighters was Kazakh lieutenant Rakhimzhan Koshkarbayev, one of the first soldiers to raise the Soviet flag over the Reichstag in Berlin. On the home front, Kazakhstan played a vital role in supplying the war effort with food, clothing, and military equipment. But this article sheds light on a lesser-known chapter: how newspapers in far-off Australia once reported on Kazakhs fighting on the Eastern Front. The Two Snipers On October 19, 1943, a brief story appeared in The Mirror, a Sydney-based newspaper, highlighting Kazakh snipers serving in the Red Army. The article titled Red Snipers’ Grim Harvest reads: "Grim-faced sniper, Siyazbekov, a Kazakh, kills four to five fascists every day. This photograph, taken during actual fighting scenes on the Russian front, shows Siyazbekov (right) well-hidden in a snow-covered Russian field, with Red Army man Djakeyev, who is also a sniper." Curious after reading this, we searched online for more information about these Kazakh marksmen. Unfortunately, the trail runs cold, suggesting this may be a topic worthy of deeper historical research. The newspaper’s accompanying image shows the two soldiers locked in focus behind their sniper rifles, stern, battle-hardened, and fearless. Behind Enemy Lines Another mention of a Kazakh soldier appeared in an Australian daily published in Adelaide, dated May 21, 1943. The story, found on page three, spotlighted a reconnaissance scout: "One of the Red Army’s ace scouts is Kazakh Abu Temerbaev, shown here. His job is to bring in news of enemy movements. He works on the central front, where big-scale fighting is expected again any day." Once again, we attempted to uncover more about this soldier. Yet, aside from this single article and one wartime photo showing him in winter camouflage, history offers no further trace. These brief mentions in Australian newspapers, now yellowed with age, hint at a vast and mostly forgotten archive of Kazakh valor. Their stories, still waiting to be told, echo across continents and urge us not to forget.

1 year ago

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