Chingiz Aitmatov (1928-2008)
Chingiz Torekulovich Aitmatov, one of the most famous Central Asian authors of all time, devoted his life to capturing what he felt was the essence of Central Asia. Before his literary work, he spent time in politics and as a diplomat. He then decided to represent his people through literature.
Aitmatov was born in Kyrgyzstan to a Kyrgyz father and Tatar mother. He held many odd jobs before deciding to study literature in Moscow. He worked for the Soviet newspaper, Pravda, before becoming well-known as a novelist.
Two of his most famous works, “Jamilia”, and “Farewell, Gulsary!” are tragic love stories that take ordinary romances of Kyrgyz characters in the 20th century and use them to weave political commentary into life lessons.
Another famous novel, “The Day Lasts More Than A Hundred Years” is a standout in Central Asian literature: one of the only science fiction novels set in Central Asia. It incorporates alien sci-fi themes with a classic hero’s journey plot told through pieces of Kazakh folklore.
Aitmatov’s works often refer to folklore: either allegorizing it or literally having characters explain different traditional stories. He framed folklore in the context of modern life. Just like in Central Asian folklore, he also utilizes relationships between animals and humans to show how essential they are to the Central Asian psyche and culture but also to allegorize the very human plots of his stories.
Often considered the national author of Kyrgyzstan, Aitmatov’s powerful legacy shows writers all across the world how to weave tradition with modernity and celebrate your homeland through writing.
