"The spiritual leader of the Kazakh nation" - a report by A. Baitursynov KSU professor Akylbek  Shayakhmet at the plenary session of the international scientific-practical conference "Baitursynov reading - 2013", held on April 12, 2013 on the basis of  A. Baitursynov Kostanai State University and dedicated to the 140th anniversary of Akhmet Baitursynov.

We could forget but the history can not prevent oblivion of Akhan  for his activities and devotion  to the chosen  political path; for the things that were done by the newspaper "Kazakh" for the Kazakhs cried blood in 1916; for opening Kazakh schools; for maximum attention to his native language; for literary heritage: "Forty fables", "Fly”.  All people, living in Kazakhstan, know them.  That is undeniable. Akhan is one of those people whose contribution to the Kazakh society is immeasurable. One of the fruits of his activities is young people going to schools, opened by him. He is considered to be a founder of the Kazakh literature. “Akhan’s pen played a healing role”, - wrote Mukhtar Auezov comparing Baitursynov with bee, honey of which is healing for people. During the lifetime of Akhmet Baitursynov, his colleagues Mirzhakyp Dulatov and Eldes Omaruly wrote articles about his work in the Russian language.  "As a result of scientific and pedagogical works of Akhmet Baitursynov, now we have the Kyrgyz (Kazakh) alphabet, phonetics, syntax, and etymology of the Kyrgyz language, the theory of literature and cultural history. He raised the Kyrgyz literature on a higher level and laid a solid foundation for the national schools and native literature" - wrote M. Dulatov.

«Akhmet Baitursynov is known, respected, and loved by the entire Kirghiz steppe; people appreciate his talent. However he is underestimated. We know and appreciate him as a poet, publicist, public figure, and a teacher, but for some reason, we do not accept him as a scientist who has made very valuable discoveries in the field of Kyrgyz grammar...» An article by Eldes Omaruly begins with the words "Research activities of A. Baitursynov", written in Orenburg on January 28, 1923. The author gives talk  about the great role and importance of the scientist in creation of a new alphabet, the reforms of new sound methods of teaching literacy, an opening the laws of phonetics, and the merits of Akhmet Baitursynov in the field of etymology of the Kazakh language.

Indeed, Akhmet Baitursynov was at the origins of literature and science of the Kazakh language. In the twenties, taking into consideration the characteristics of the Kazakh language, he created the alphabet based on the Arabic alphabet, wrote a number of works on grammar, morphology, phonetics, teaching methods, a great work on the development of the Kazakh literature and culture. It was him, who first praised Abai, calling him a great poet of the Kazakh people. He first paid attention to the work of our great fellow-countrymen Nurjan Naushabaev and Aksulu Orysbaykyzy, and in the book "Adebiet tanytkysh" ("Literature studies") gave examples of oratorical statements by Nauryzbai bi, Akmulla, Zhanibek, Magzhan and others. An epic called "Er Saiyn", "Lamentations", and many Kazakh proverbs and sayings were published with the direct participation of Akhmet Baitursynov.

Many years of Akhmet Baitursynov activities are associated with the creation of Alash-Orda and organization of the "Alash" party. The temporary National Council of Alash Orda consisted of 25 members, 10 seats of which were given to representatives of the Russian and other ethnic groups living in Kazakhstan. Akhmet was elected as a member of the Commission for the preparation of textbooks. He is one of the authors of the "Alash" party programme. In this programme, it was stated that Russia should be a democratic federal republic, and the Kazakhs should have their autonomy. Saken Seifullin wrote that Akhmet Baitursynov was not a supporter of the poor, and he did not defend the interests of the rich. He did not divide people into reds and whites. He loved a person and the people with all his heart. In 1919 he was elected as a member of the Revolutionary Committee of Management of the Kirghiz region, he was a member of the Government and the People's Commissar of Education.

It is undeniable that Akhmet Baitursynov is a person, who stands at the origins of our independence. On April 17, 1920 A. Baitursynov wrote a letter to Lenin, which stated: "Considering the things set forth, it is needed to:

1) put at the head of Kyrgyz  regional control true ideological communists, tested honest ideological workers of Kyrgyz intellectuals, who are completely trusted by people, but never the Communists by name. True ideological communists and ideological workers form the Kyrgyz origin, even if they are not communists, are more likely to find a common language while understanding each other and the matter of fact;

2) in all the authorities, in charge of which are regions with a mixed population, representatives of the oppressed nation should be at least 2/3;

3) management of economic institutions of the Kyrgyz region, regardless of centralization or decentralization, should be in the hands of the Kyrgyz people without fragmentation and subordination to other provinces or regions under various pretexts economical exigency;

4) the entire political and cultural work of the Kyrgyz Communists and revolutionary intelligentsia should be based on the principles of Soviet socialist economic policies;

5)  establish a military district uniting Kyrgyzia, with the administration in Orenburg;

6) garrisons in the cities must necessarily be form the Kyrgyz;

7) concerning the border of the Kyrgyz region, no changes except the following should be allowed... "

(form the Central State Archive of the Republic of Kazakhstan, folder 811.20, case 568).

During the interrogation, Akhmet Baitursynov said that our people might reach happiness only together with other nations. He said that he was willing to express their opinion to Lenin himself.

"For the sake of his people, Akhmet joined the Communists. Yes, he could not stay long in its ranks; it was clear from the beginning. Akhan was not obedient herald of rotten capitalism, not a stick in the hands of the rich. He did not divide people into rich and poor, he loved all Kazakhs. Saken Seifullin wrote that his great merit was his work "Education as a means of the language development" for the poor and illiterate Kazakhs.

Akhmet Baitursynov had versatile talent allowed him to try the pen’s force in poetry, journalism, science and other cultural industries. He is not only a scientist, the originator of many textbooks, translator, ethnographer, but also an author of many poems that are available for young children. Children quickly memorized the poems, and learned literacy. Akhmet Aga was a great teacher – a teacher with a capital letter for both children and adults. 

 "If the main wealth is health, the main wealth of the soul is knowledge and art. Only with their help people find their place in the civilization. The main objectives are to educate the youth, to teach them a craft, to give them a profession. To realize these objectives, it is necessary to open schools in the Kazakh steppe and teach in the Kazakh language. These are our main goals and objectives"- said Akhmet Baitursynov. It is gratifying that Kostanai state university is named after him, where the current generation gets accessible education."