Mayramkan Abylkasymova (November 7, 1936 – October 16, 2021; Kyrgyz: Майрамкан Абылкасымова) was a Kyrgyz poet and editor, designated a "People's Poet of Kyrgyzstan."

Early life and education

Mayramkan Abylkasymova was born on November 7, 1936, in the village of Almaluu, Kemin, Kyrgyzstan. ^{[1] [2]}

She attended a seven-year rural school, graduating in 1950. She then began studying to become a teacher, eventually graduating in 1958 from the Kyrgyz Women's Pedagogical Institute named for Vladimir Mayakovsky, a precursor to Kyrgyz State University of Arabaev. ^{[1] [2]} From 1960 to 1962, she worked as a teacher at the Osh Pedagogical Institute, a forerunner of Osh State University. ^{[1] [2]}

Writing

Abylkasymova is best known as a poet, having begun to publish poetry in 1952. ^{[1] [2] [3]} In 1961, she published her debut collection, Маленьким друзьям ("Little Friends"). ^{[1] [2]} In her work, she drew inspiration from fellow Kyrgyz writers Alykul Osmonov and Aaly Tokombaev. ^[4] She was also a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union and wrote patriotic poetry about the Kyrgyz people and about war in socialist countries. ^{[1] [5] [6]}

In 1970, she won the all-union Lenin Komsomol Prize for her poem "Эстелик сүйлөйт" ("The Monument Speaks") and her collection Ишеним дайым жүрөктө ("Faith Is Always in My Heart"). ^{[1] [2]} A decade later, in 1980, she was designated as a "People's Poet of Kyrgyzstan." ^{[1] [2] [5]} Her collection Гүлдөр суу сурайт ("Flowers Ask for Water") was awarded the Kyrgyz State Prize in 1984. ^{[1] [2]} Her work has been translated into various languages, including English in the 1976 anthology The Tender Muse. ^{[7] [8]}

Abylkasymova also worked at various publications throughout her career, beginning at a local newspaper in the Osh Region from 1958 to 1960. ^{[1] [2]} Then, from 1962 to 1970 she worked for the literary and art magazine Ala-Too. ^{[1] [2]} She left for two years to consult for the Writers' Union in the Issyk-Kul Region before returning to Ala-Too in 1972, where she worked for another 20 years, including as head of the magazine's poetry department. ^{[1] [2] [5]} Later on, she edited the weekly newspaper Asylzat. ^{[1] [2]}

She was a member of the Union of Writers of the Kyrgyz Republic since 1964. ^{[1] [2]}

Personal life and death

Abylkasymova was married to Sagyn Namatbayev, a translator. Their daughter is the journalist Tolkun Namatbaeva. ^{[4] [5]} The poet died in October 2021 at age 85. ^{[1] [2]}

References