Olzhas Suleimenov, a poet, national writer of Kazakhstan, linguistic researcher, turcologist, popular politician, prominent state and public figure. He was born on May 18, 1936 in the city of Alma-Ata. Olzhas Suleimenov comes from the family of the first generation of military personnel from the national environment. His father was an officer of the First Kazakh Cavalry Regiment. Millstones of Stalin's repressions did not bypass the Suleimenovs family. When Olzhas was one-year-old, his father was shot, like many of the best representatives of the Red Army command staff. The ancestors of O. Suleimenov from his father's side were poets, musicians and soldiers, and with the mother's side - the builders – makers of adobe. Olzhas received his name from an ancestor in the seventh generation of Olzhabai batyr, who commanded the right wing of the cavalry of Khan Abylai.
In 1954, after graduating from the secondary school № 28 named after Manshuk Mametova, Olzhas Suleimenov entered the geological survey department of the Kazakh State University named after S. M. Kirov. However, the poetic gift forced him to reconsider his way of life: to postpone the diploma of a geological engineer. In 1958 he enrolled in the Higher Literary Courses at the Literary Institute named after A.M. Gorky in Moscow.
After graduation he worked as the head of the poetry section of the magazine "Prostor", the editor-in-chief of the script-editorial board of the film studio "Kazakhfilm", the first secretary of the Writers' Union of Kazakhstan, the first secretary of the Union of Cinematographers of Kazakhstan, secretary of the USSR Writers' Union. From 1991 to 1994 O. Suleimenov was on creative work. He is a member of the Committee of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan on Ecology and Nature Management, from 1995 to 2001 was in the diplomatic work as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Kazakhstan to Italy, and then in Greece, Malta. Since 2001 - Permanent Representative of the Republic of Kazakhstan to UNESCO.
The authority of O. Suleimenov as a political figure is enormous. He is a deputy of the Supreme Council of the Republic of Kazakhstan of the 10th and 13th convocations, Deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the 11th convocation, People's Deputy of the USSR (1989-1991).
Olzhas Suleimenov was awarded the “Barys” Order 1st Degree, the October Revolution, the Red Banner of Labor, the Badge of Honor, and medals. He is a laureate of the State Prize of the Kazakh SSR and the Lenin Komsomol Prize of Kazakhstan, laureate of the “Tarlan” Prize.
O. Suleimenov's work biography is connected most of all with two large creative unions of Kazakhstan - the Writers' Union and the Union of Cinematographers. It was Olzhas Suleimenov who became one of the initiators and organizers of the 5th Conference of Asian and African Writers in Almaty. Under him, Kazakh cinema has gained worldwide fame as a professional and talented cinema. The film studio "Kazakhfilm" released such films as "Kyz-Zhibek", "Anxious morning", "Shot at the pass Karash", "Gray fierce".
The special merit of Olzhas Suleimenov as a public figure and politician is the creation of the movement "Nevada-Semey", which in a short time achieved the establishment of a moratorium on explosions at the Semipalatinsk test site. August 28, 1991 the President of Kazakhstan N. Nazarbayev signed a decree on the closure of the test site.
While engaging in extensive state and public activities, Olzhas Suleimenov never forgot that he was primarily a poet, a writer. Creative work is his constant companion in life. Olzhas is a world-famous author of many books published in different languages.
Being a Kazakh, he writes in Russian, remaining, undoubtedly, a Kazakh poet. He sincerely, affectionately loves his people, his country. But he is still devoted to all mankind, he is a great patriot of the Earth.
Poetry of O. Suleimenov teaches us the truth, the understanding of the historical formation of the people. Creative imagination takes the poet to the distance of centuries, his sensitive ear caught the stamping of horses, muffled over the centuries, the eye snatches from the gloom of time the lightning of fierce battles. Who are we, Kazakhs, where did we come from, why are we called to be in the world? What did we bring with us, what was given to the world? Olzhas is pondering over these questions. In this regard, one of the best poems "How to please the heart?" conveys the poet's view of the history of his people through the prism of the heart.
Poems of O. Suleimenov are distinguished by the depth of thought, multiscale, philosophical and polemical. In them, vivid expression, visible imagery, subtle humor, sharp satire, unexpected twists and many other facets. Poetic works have received high praise from readers and critics. Such masters of the word as M. Auezov, K. Simonov, R. Gamzatov, G. Musrepov, Ch. Aitmatov, etc. wrote about his work.
The first book of poems "Argamak" was published in 1961. In the same year his poem "Land, bow to a man" was published, which was among the best works of Soviet poetry and brought O. Suleimenov wide popularity. This is a hymn to man and to mankind. The poem reflected the poet's reflections on the fate of man, on his thoughts. Particularly sounds the attitude of the poet to a woman. The woman for him is first of all Mother, life itself, the very beginning.
The following years were very fruitful for O. Suleimenov. In 1962, the poetry collection "Sunny Nights" was published, followed by "Paris Night", "Good Sunrise Time", "Year of the Monkey", "Selected Lyrics", "Clay Book", "Repeating at Noon," "Everyday Morning", "Round Star", "Fire Transformation", "Defining the Shore", "Az and I", "Language of the Letter".
"Clay Book" - one of the most important works of Olzhas Suleimenov. This is an ancient love story that makes a person the highest. This book carries a deep meaning, it is built on deep historical associations, it has an eastern spiritual and philosophical tradition.
The books "Az and I", "Language of the Letter" and articles on the interaction of Turkic, Slavic and other cultures, with their acute difficulty, sparked unabated discussions and contributed to the formation of new approaches to the history of Turkic cultures.
O. Suleimenov's literary talent was widely revealed in film drama. He writes scenarios on which the feature films "Land of the Fathers", "Blue Route", "Winter is not the field season", "Accept Adam", "The Last Transition" and a number of documentary films were created.
O. Suleimenov gained wide popularity as a publicist. His pen has many articles on the topical themes of modern times, revealing the civil position and life principles of the poet.
Another facet of talent is complemented by his creative portrait. Olzhas Suleimenov is a major linguistic researcher, turcologist. O. Suleimenov expressed his creative creed in the following way: "Engage in history and linguistics with the sole intention to determine his place among his people and the place of my people in humanity."
The creative and vibrant life of Olzhas Suleimenov was reflected in his personal archive, which in 1996 entered the state archives in the Central State Archives of the Republic of Kazakhstan in the form of a gift.
The personality of Olzhas Suleimenov, a poet and thinker, is a part of the history of the people, their national pride.
Translated by Raushan MAKHMETZHANOVA
