Dzhambul, bard of socialist Kazakhstan

Copyright © 1998, 2001 by Hugo S. Cunningham
first posted 980820
redone Y10129
latest change y10802

Index

Many of Dzhambul's odes were printed in "Pravda" in the late 1930s. He is shown here (in fur cap) being awarded the Order of the Red Banner for Labor by M.I. Kalinin ["Ogonyok," 1936, Issue #32, p. 12]. His "labor" was indeed of heroic, even Stakhanovite proportions, as he cranked out page after page of the most obsequious flattery. In 1938, he received an Order of Lenin ("Pravda," 3 Dec 1938), in return for which he offered one more flattering effusion (reprinted below in English and Russian) to "my Stalin the Great, father and teacher!"


Note: we are not sure where the following Dzhambul fragment appeared:

Spasibo tebe, Stalin moj! Thank you, my Stalin!
Rasstalsya Dzhambul s gorkoj sud'boj Dzhambul took leave from a bitter fate
Edet Dzhambul v bogatom sedle Dzhambul rides on a rich saddle
Edet Dzhambul po rodnoj zemle Dzhambul rides about his native land
Edet Dzhambul po rodnoj strane Dzhambul rides about his native country
Na sytom, stepnom skakune. On a well-nourished steed of the steppe.
S pochetom pevca vstrechaet aul: With respect the village meets the singer:
«Poj svoi zvonkie pesni, Dzhambul! "Sing your resonant songs, Dzhambul!
V nix molodost', sila, i slava pobed In them are youth, strength, and the glory of victories
Za dvadcat' sovetskix let!» For twenty Soviet years!"


A few other works by Dzhambul, printed in «Pravda», not posted here

    5/XII-37, str. 1 Ode to the Stalin Constitution, Constitution Day
    11/XII-37, str. 4, «Moskva Moya»
    10/X-37, str. 4, Docheri Rodiny ("Daughters of the Motherland," Stalin will protect you)


Other works by Dzhambul:

Soviet press items about Dzhambul, including a 1936 biographical sketch (only in Russian for now)


Fraternal Peoples


An outrageous slander


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