Mukhtar Auezov

writer, a social activist, a Doctor of Philology

After the Abai Joly epic, he began writing a new, large-scale epic that described a new era in the future. His first book of that period is called "Osken orken" and was first published posthumously in 1962. A period of blooming of Kazakh drama is associated with the works of Auezov.

Temir Nurbaqytuly Bekmambetov

director, producer and screenwriter

Between 1992 and 1997, Bekmambetov was directing commercials and was one of the directors for Bank Imperial's award-winning popular World History ads. In 1994, he founded Bazelevs Group, an advertising and films production, distribution and marketing company.

In 2004, Bekmambetov wrote and directed Night Watch (2004), a popular Russian fantasy film based on the book by Sergey Lukyanenko.

Photo by: Gage Skidmore under CC BY-SA 3.0

Kurmangazy Sagyrbaev

Kazakh composer, instrumentalist (kobyz, dombra), and folk artist.

One of the greatest dombra players was the Kazakh folk musician and composer Kurmangazy Sagyrbayuly, who had a major influence on the development of Kazakh musical culture, including music for the dombra; his musical composition "Adai" is popular in Kazakhstan and abroad.

Modern Astana Architecture

The Incomparable, Futuristic Architecture of Kazakhstan’s Young Capital

Dombra

long-necked Kazakh lute and a musical string instrument

The Kazakh dombyra has frets and is played by strumming with the hand or plucking each string individually, with an occasional tap on the main surface of the instrument. While the strings are traditionally made of sinew, modern dombras are usually produced using nylon strings.

Aken playing and singing festival

held every summer on the open steppe pasture

It features poems and arts as well as music and dance.

Kazakh carpets

Kazakhs produce multicolored felt carpets ( koshma), teased and unteased carpets, colored rugs and bedspreads, cotton or silk wall carpets ( tus-kiiz) and reed screens ( chiy). These are often features stylized animal motifs. Pieces made in northeast Kazakhstan, near the Altai region, are said to be particularly fine.

Shapan

wool or cotton robes

Kazakh is famous for its colorful traditional clothes, which include long dresses with stand up collars, brightly-colored decorated velvet waistcoat, jewelry, conical hats and fur-trimmed headdresses with crane plumes for women, and long quilted shapan (wool or cotton robes), high black boots, baggy pants, sleeveless jackets, skull caps, fur hats, tasseled felt hats that looks like something a leprechaun would wear, and goatskin cloaks for men.