ABAI MUSEUM

The museum dedicated to Abay Ibrahim Kunanbayouli (1845-1904), a poet born in the village of Karaoul, on the outskirts of Semey, when the town was still called Semipalatinsk, retraces the major stages in the life of the man considered to be the Kazakh man of letters par excellence. Having studied in Semipalatinsk, he took all his lessons in Russian, which later enabled him to translate numerous works by the great Russian poets and novelists, making them accessible to Kazakhs. As a member of the pantheon of great national figures, his museum is logically well-stocked, and visitors will be able to explore the rooms and corridors devoted to Abaï's childhood, his influences and his literary work, to familiarize themselves with a little-known author who has never been translated in France. Genealogy, writings, fellow travelers and family are presented in detail, then linked to the poems. There are also numerous drawings evoking the themes of Abaï's stories and poems in a pictorial way. Above all, however, it is Abaï's morality speeches that remain highly prized by Kazakhs to this day, whether in teaching, child-rearing or, more broadly, in everyday life. The tour ends with a small reproduction of a ^19th-century Kazakh interior, complete with bed, armchair, desk and cupboards. Unfortunately, there's no translation of the commentaries, which are all in Russian or Kazakh. Ask for the guided tour to fully appreciate the visit.