09.12.2015 The exhibition "Shokan and his time"
Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan on 9th December, 2015 at 15.00 opens the exhibition "Shokan and his time", devoted to the 180th anniversary of the outstanding Kazakh scientist Shokan (Muhammad Kanafiya) Valikhanov. At the exhibition "Shokan and his time" materials about the life, works and research of Sh.Valikhanov from the collections of the Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the "Altynemel" State Memorial Museum located in Kerbulak district of Almaty region will be presented.
Shokan Valikhanov was born in 1835, in the family of a senior Sultan of Kushmurun (now – Kostanai region) District of Kazakh steppe of Siberian department Chingiz Valikhanov. He was educated from traditional steppe school learned Arabic, Persian and Chaghatay languages. From 1847 to 1853 he studied in the Siberian Cadet Corps in Omsk. In 1855-1857 as a participant of major military and scientific expeditions visited the neighboring regions of Central Asia - Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan. In 1858-1859, traveling to East Turkestan and Kashgar under the pseudonym "Alimbai" held a series of major researches on history, ethnography and geography of the region, in the results of which he wrote the book "On the state of Altyshara or six eastern cities of China province Nan Lu (Small Bukharin)". Merits of scholar-traveler in the opening for Europeans poorly studied region of China have been highly appreciated by the scientist. In 1860 Shokan arrived in St. Petersburg, where he was accepted as a researcher of life of the peoples of Central Asia and Kazakhstan. In the middle of 1861 he returned to the steppe and the last four years of his life lived mostly in the Vernyi town. In the summer of 1864 he settled in the village of his elder brother Sultan of Alatau district Tezek Nuralyuly, the rate of which was located in the Koshen-Togan tract near the foot of the Altynemel range. He died in April 1865.
The rich scientific heritage of the great Kazakh scientist Shokan Valikhanov – inimitable peak of creativity and an inexhaustible treasure of the people. His work in the field of history, ethnography, law, folklore, geography, philology do not lose its relevance to this day are considered to be unique heritage. Promote heritage of Shokan is out greatest duty. The exhibition includes manuscripts and works of the scientist kept in the Central State Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan and the memorial museum "Altyn-Emel", as well as things that he used in life, books and publications about him are presented. For the first time exhibited personal belongings of Shokan Valikhanov – boric (headress), a rifle butt, a unique Chinese vase, brought by him from Kashgar expedition, camp torsyk (vessel), his copper cup of the fund collections of the "Altynemel" museum, silver spoon, brocade belt and other things, as well as a diploma (copy) on his election as member of the Russian Geographical Society.
A worthy place in the exhibition take the rare artifacts belonging to his family: a unique fur coat of swan's down, belonged to his younger sister Tazhibai, dress of his elder sister Apia, beshmet of sister Badigul, scraf of Nurilya, coat of his maternal uncle - Isa Shormanov. The exhibition includes paintings of famous artists N.Ya.Tretyakov, N.G.Khludov, P.I. Dyakov, A.M. Martova reflecting the historical appearance of that time. It deserves to be especially marked famous portrait of Shokan, painted by N.Ya.Tretyakov.
Along with the manuscripts and copies of documents of Shokan presented by the Central State Archive of the Republic of Kazakhstan and archive of film and documentary photographs and sound recordings of the Republic of Kazakhstan, will be screened documentary films, an exhibition of books on the life and work Sh.Valikhanov from funds of the Central Scientific Library.
