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Kokbay Zhanatayev (1861 - 1925).

Walks & Tours in Kazakhstan.

“Every time you have to write as if you are writing for the first and last time. To say so much as if this is your goodbye, and as good as if this is your debut"

Karl Kraus.

Creativity of poets of Kazakhstan.

Kokbay Zhanatayev is a poet and student of the great Abai, a continuer of his tradition in Kazakh literature. Born in 1861 in the Takyr area of ​​the Mukur volost of the Semipalatinsk district. Kokbay Zhanatayev was a friend and colleague of Abai.
Since 1880, the friendship of the young poet with Abai begins, he was devoted to him and almost never parted with him. This friendship lasted 25 years. It is noteworthy that Abai distributed some of his poems on behalf of a young friend.
Abai's poem "Leto" was published on behalf of Kokbay Zhanatayev in the newspaper "Dala ualayaty" No. 7 of 1889. As a scholarly literary critic, Kokbai Zhanatayev left an invaluable mark on the abaevade. M.O. Auezov noted the unique contribution of Kokbai to the history of Kazakh literature, it was he who managed to preserve many of Abai's poems in his memory, and subsequently to write down and restore their original text.
Kokbay Zhanatayev's work is very multifaceted: aitys, epigrams, dedication poems, poems. He has many poems dedicated to "Ospan", "Arip", "Dutbay", "Zhaksylyk", "Musazhan", etc. In many works, for example, "Dutbai", "Musazhanu", "Semey saudagerlerine" ("Semipalatinsk traders"), he appears as a witty satirist and denounces hypocrisy and bribery.
Kokbay Zhanatayev's extraordinary ability for improvisation was manifested first of all in aitys-song competitions. Kokbai's competitions with the poet and friend Arip Tanibergenov, Kempirbai akin, Musagaliy, Zhuniskhan are known. One of the most significant works of Kokbay Zhanatayev is the poem "Sabalak" ("Abylai"). The theme of the poem is the struggle of the Kazakh people against the Dzungars under the leadership of Ablaykhan, who united the Kazakh families in the XIXth century.
Kokbai Zhanatayev was not only a poet and literary critic, but also an excellent teacher. In 1901, he opened a madrasah, which eventually worked for more than 20 years until 1922. More than 300 people have been educated at this educational institution.
Some talented students continued the traditions of the mentor and teacher Kokbay Zhanatayev, among them the famous poets Tair Zhomartbayev, Esentai Berdin.

Authority:
https://culturemap.kz/ru/object/muzeiy-kokbaya-janataeva-v-mecheti-medrese-v-mestnosti-ta/