WHO"S WHO ON THE SOM BANKNOTES?

Abdilas Maldibaev

On the 1 Som note. Абдылас Малдбаев a Kyrgyz composer — (1906—1978) Born in Kara Bulak, in Batken oblast, he was one of the first Kyrgyz composers and a singer (tenor).

On the back of the note are the Philharmonia building in Bishkek (properly called The Kyrgyz Concert Hall named after Toktogul Satylganov) . with the statue of Manas on his «magical» horse, Akula, and the red-granite busts of famous 20th Century manaschis, together with a collection of traditional Kyrgyz musical instruments, the Komuz. The Komuz is a stringed instrument with either 2 or 3 strings which can be plucked like a guitar, or played with a bow like a violin

Bibisara

On the 5 Som note — Бубусара — was a famous ballerina who in her later years trained several generations of dancers and was one of the founders of the Kyrgyz ballet school.

Born into a peasant family in the village of Tash-Tube (not far from Bishkek) on 17May, 1926, Bibisara Beishenalieva went to to study is the Leningrad School od Choreography at the age of 10. She made her debut on the on the stage of the Bolshoi Theater in Moscow just three years later. Over the next thirty years she became an eminent ballerina performing in such classics as Swan Lake, Don Quixote, Romeo and Juliet as well as a number of Russian and Kyrgyz national ballets. She starred in the Lenin Filk Studios version of a Kyrgyz ballet — Chalpon in 1958.

She married the composer Akmat Amnbaev in 1944 and they had a son, Ermek, and later a granddaughter — Chalpon.

Apparently she had a shy, reserved, character — fond of simple pastimes such as sewing, knitting, playing draughts and cooking traditional dishes such as beshbarmak, plov, lagman, boosok and chakchak She also sang and played the piano.

Elected as a member of the Supreme Soviet of of the USSR and the Kyrgyz SSR — she was awarded the title «National Arist of the USSR» in 1958 as well as several other prestious prizes and titles. Teching in the Kurenkeev school of choreography — her talent, charm, kindness, understanding and sense of responsibility made her popular with adults and children alike.

She died six days before her 47th birthday in 1973. Since then there have been two International Festivals of Ballet held in her memory in Bishkek. She is one of only two ballerinas to be to have statues erected in their honour in the former Soviet Union — it is to the South of the Theater of Opera and Ballet — currently in the grounds of the Hyatt Regency Hotel in Bishkek. She also has a street named after her in Bishkek — running North to South at the Eastern end of Osh Bazaar.

On the back of the note is the Theatre of Opera and Ballet in Bishkek — more properly called The Kyrgyz Academic Opera and Ballet Theatre named after Abdylas Maldybaev, (who appears on the 1 som note).

Tynystanov Kasym

On the 10 Som note. — Касым — (1901—1938) a scholar, cultural worker, professor and poet. Born in a village in the Issyk Kul region, he was taught to read and write by his father before attending a religious school. He later went to Tashkent to study and began to work on newspapers and writing for magazines, and he worked on the development of the Kyrgyz alphabet, (at first based on Arabic, then into Latin characters and finally in Cyrillic). His report, «The Mian Principles of creating a new alphabet» was given given at the first congress of Turkologists in Baku in 1926 — and became the main document in in the formulation of the new written form of Kyrgyz. In 1933 he published a dictionary of linguistic terms and his «Spellings of Kyrgyz Literary Language» appeared in 1934. He wrote some of the first books to be published in the Kyrgyz language.

He became a member of the communist party and translated revolutionary songs (such as the «Internationale») into Kyrgyz. After writing one particular song, he fell into disfavour with the authorities, was «repressed» in 1937 and executed in 1938. Towards the end of 2002, a monument was erected in Karakol to him and Khussein Karasaev — a writer and scholar who also worked on the development of the Kyrgyz alphabet and one of the first Russian/Kyrgyz dictionaries, who was born in the village of Tup in 1901. There is a street named after Kasym Tynystanov in Bishkek.

On the back of the note is a picture of The «Seven Bulls» rock formation in Jety-Orguz, near Karakol, in Issyk-Kul oblast.

Togolok Moldo

On the 20 Som note. — Тоголок Молдо -, (his real name was Bayymbet Abdyrakhmanov), 1860—1942, was a poet and one of the better known twentieth century manaschi — a special class of itinerant minstrel (akyn) who give recitals of the Manas epic. Unlike the other great akyn, Toktogul, Togolok Moldo could write and so many of his verses were written down. He recorded and wrote down many national folk songs as well as his own verses, and many of the texts are now kept in the Munuscript Library of the National Academy of Sciences.

Born in the Ak Talaa district in the Naryn region, into a musical family. After his father’s death, he was brought up by an uncle, who was a well-known Komuz player. He was given the name Togololok Moldo by his audiences — «togolok» means round-faced, «moldo» means an educated person.

He has one of the main streets in Bishkek named after him, and appears on the monument of notable Kyrgyz characters to the East of the Philharmonia.

On the back of the note is the Manas mausoleum in Talas.

Datka Kurmanjan Mamatbai kysy

On the 50 Som note. — Курманжан Датка — (1811—1907) — an outstanding stateswoman of the Kyrgyz Republic. She is sometimes known as «The Tsarina of Alai», and «Queen of the South». The word Datka means «General» and she was awarded the title twice. Born into a simple nomad family of the Mongush clan in the Alai mountains, at the age of 18 she was supposed to marry a much older man whom she didn«t see until her wedding day — breaking with tradition, she ran away, back to her father»s yurt in the Alai. In 1832, the feudal lord, Alimbek — who had taken the title Datka and ruled all the Kyrgyz of the Alai, freed her from the «marriage contract» and married her. Alimbek died after a palace coup in 1862, and Kurmanjan gathered around her the faithful «batyrs» — heroes. She went on to be govern the Alai, was recognized by the khans of Bukhara and Kokand, later marrying one of the batyrs. She is thought to be the only women to have been granted the role of ruler in the muslim world. In 1876 the Alai region joined the Russian Empire. Two of her sons and two grandsons were accused of «contraband»and of murdering customs officials — and even her status could not help save them. When her favourite son was executed,(hung in the main square of Osh), she refused the urging of some of her followers to effect a rescue, saying that she would not her private hopes and ambitions be the cause of suffering for her people. Her lament has been preserved in the form of a poem. The others were then exiled to penal servitude in Siberia, and Kurmanjan (suffering from insult and shame) retired from public life — giving away all her property and leading a hermit like existence in a village, refusing all visitors. She died on 1st February in the village of Mady, near to Osh — gripping the dressing gown of her favourite son. She was survived by 2 sons, 2 daughters, 31 grandsons, 57 great grandsons and 6 great-great-grandsons. She is also thought to have been a poetess. A commemorative stamp depicting her has been issues, and in 2002 a book about her was published in three versions — Kyrgyz, Russian and English.

On the back of the note are drawings of the Mausoleums and minaret that can be found in the Uzgen Architectural Site — near Osh.

Toktogul

On the 100 Som note — Токтогул -(Actually, Toktogul used to appear on every Som banknote — not just the 100 — his portrait formed a watermark in the top left hand corner of every denomination. However, he no longer appears on the new, smaller 1 som note). Toktogul Satylgan uulu (1864—1933) was a Kyrgyz poet — regarded as a democrat, a thinker, an outstanding komuzist (a performer of komuz music and improviser). He was born into a poor family in a village near to where the Toktogul reservoir now lies. His mother was a good singer and he began singing at the age of eight. Later, as a shepherd, he made up songs about the hardships of his life — a theme recurrent throughout all his life. He remained poor throughout his life — even losing his beloved to a richer man — and he always performed at gatherings of poor people — not for the rich, about whom he compsed derogartory verses describing how they exploited the masses. (He seems to have had a talent for this — he turned «professional» at the age of eighteen after winning a traditional competition in which two contestants made up derogatory verses about each other.) The manaps (aristocracy) were unhappy about his and he was accused ofparticipating in an uprising against the Russians — and sentenced to exile in Siberia. He escaped once — but was recaptured — and a second attempt was also unsuccessful. On a third attempt, in 1910, he was successful, aided by rumours spread by his friends that he had drowned. His later songs have many references to his Russian friends — Semen and Hariton — who helped him escape from his penal servitude. At first, praised by the Soviets as a socialist — it is said that democratic ideas in Kyrgyz history began with him, and that Kyrgyz poetry dates from 1919 when he sang a a eulogy of Lenin for the local Commissar — he later fellinto disfavour with the authorities.

His life and work are usually divided into four periods: the first «Before Siberia» period is characterized by traditional folk songs and lyrical love songs; the second by by songs of advice and admonition; the third marks his treturn from Siberia and the before the Soviet Union — and includes the tragic song, «I have no son» — compsed as a lamentation for his son, Topchybay, who died whilst Toktogul was in Siberia; the final period is known as the «Soviet» period when he composed songs such as «Long live Soviet Power» and «What a mother could give birth to such a son as Lenin».

He has one of the main streets in Bishkek named after him; a stutue of him stands outside the Theater of Opera and Ballet — the Komus shown in his hand is exhibited in the museum opposite; the house in which he lived in Bishkek is now a museum dedicated to him and the Philharmonia is named in his honour and his is one of the busts of famous manaschis which stand in the courtyard.

On the back of the note is dam at the head of the Toktogul Reservoir and hydroelectric power station on the River Naryn. In 2002 a new note was issued and on the back of the note is a picture of the mountain Khan Tengri.

Alikul Osmonov

On the 200 Som note. — Алыкул Осмонов -, a Kyrgyz poet and writer, (1915—1950), born in the village of Kaptal Aryk in the Chui oblast. He began writing poems early in life, his first published poems appearing when he was only 20. Two years later his first collection of poems was published, and in 1945 the collection which is regarded as his masterpiece, «Mahabat» (= Love). Between 1943 and 1948 he wrote several plays — and he translated many literary works into Kyrgyz — including Pushkin’s «Evgeny Onegin»; Shakespeare’s «Othello» and «Twelth Night». He wrote in both Kyrgyz and Russian and he also translated many poems, stories, legends and fairy tales from Kyrgyz into Russian. He was very fond of Lake Issyk Kul and lived in Chalpon Ata — many of his works describe the lake in it’s different seasons and moods. He was revered in the Soviet time as an important Soviet writer, and his poems were published both Russian and Estonian as well as his native Kyrgyz. He died at the age of 35 of Pulmonary Pneumonia.

There is a statue of him outside the National Library in Bishkek and a museum dedicated to him and his work at Kaptal Aryk — 75 km West of Bishkek.

On the back of the note are drawings associated with Lake Issyk-Kul.

Sayakbai Karalaev

On the 500 Som note — Саякбай Каралаев — was a famous «manaschi» Karalaev (1894—1971), and is recognised as a one of the greatest manaschi’s of the twentieth century. His versatile performance veered between tragedy, to lyricism, to dramatic. At times crying, at others laughing, and at others sighing. Chinghiz Aitmatov valled him «The Homer of the twentieth century.»

Born in the village of Ak Olon in the Ton region at the on the Southern shore of Lake Issyk Kul, at the Western end of the lake. He learnt much of the Manas epic and many folk songs from his grandmother, Dakish. He began his career as a manaschi in 1918. At first he was greatly influenced by Chouke Omur, a well-known manaschi from Issyk Kul, but about 1925 started to develop his own style. Between 1932 and 1947 he wrote down the entire Manas epos — «Manas», «Semetey» and «Seitek» — totaling over half a million lines of poetry. He performed in Finland and in Moscow as well as in Kyrgyzstan, and received several awards..

On the reverse side of the note are pictures of figures from the epic. On the 500 Som note — Саякбай Каралаев — was a famous «manaschi» Karalaev (1894—1971), and is recognised as a one of the greatest manaschi’s of the twentieth century. His versatile performance veered between tragedy, to lyricism, to dramatic. At times crying, at others laughing, and at others sighing. Chinghiz Aitmatov valled him «The Homer of the twentieth century.»

Born in the village of Ak Olon in the Ton region at the on the Southern shore of Lake Issyk Kul, at the Western end of the lake. He learnt much of the Manas epic and many folk songs from his grandmother, Dakish. He began his career as a manaschi in 1918. At first he was greatly influenced by Chouke Omur, a well-known manaschi from Issyk Kul, but about 1925 started to develop his own style. Between 1932 and 1947 he wrote down the entire Manas epos — «Manas», «Semetey» and «Seitek» — totaling over half a million lines of poetry. He performed in Finland and in Moscow as well as in Kyrgyzstan, and received several awards..

On the reverse side of the note are pictures of figures from the epic.

Djusup Balasagin

On the 1000 som note. — Жусуп Баласагын — was a writer and thinker born in the ancient city of Balasagin — where the Burana Tower stands, near the site of the present day Tokmok. He is best known for his work Kutagdu Bilig — which is sometimes translated as «The theory of knowledge», or «The Knowledge that Brings Hapiness» — an English translation by Wlater May has been published under the title "Beneficient Knowledge". Writen in couplets, in the Uighur language, sometime around 1070, it gained for the author a reknowned place in the history of Central Asian Literature — and a place at court in Kashgar. The Kyrgyz have adopted him asone of their own — largely, perhaps, because his birthplace is located in the territory of the modern republic — but it is not clear if he was himself Kyrgyz. Most of what we know about him is drawn from little snippets of information contained in the poem. The work suggestes that he was a highly educated person, skilled in poetic forms, with a wide knowledge of astronomy, mathematics and medicine. It forms a sort of moral code — one of the central themes is the value and supremacy of laws.

On the back of the note is a drawing of the old architectural monument Тахти-Сулайман in Osh.