Abstract

DECOLONIAL DISCOURSE IN ABAI’S BOOK OF EDIFICATION

Abstract. This article is the first attempt to analyze the representation of the image of the “Russian world” from the perspective of decolonial discourse. The research material consists of Articles 1, 27, and 28 of the Book of Edification based on Tugrul’s manuscript (known respectively as Words 3, 2, and 25), in which 15 phraseological units are identified within the framework of this concept. The study analyzes the translated versions by Viktor Shklovsky, Klara Serikbaeva and Rollan Seisenbaev, Satimzhan Sanbaev and Yerbol Zhumagul, after which the author's translation based on Tugrul’s manuscript is proposed, which differs significantly from common interpretations. A comparative approach allows us to clarify the content of key concepts such as the Russian language, Russian education, and Russian authority, as well as to reveal their true meaning in the context of the author’s position.

It is shown that Abai's appeal to the topic of studying Russian literacy was conditioned by his awareness of the inevitability of large-scale historical changes. The nomadic civilization was losing its significance, the traditional institutions of Kazakh power were being destroyed, and the Kazakh Khanate finally found itself in colonial dependence on the Russian Empire. In these circumstances, Abay’s edification can be seen as an attempt to encourage his contemporaries to comprehend the new historical reality and the need to adapt to a changing world. Thus, the analysis based on Tugrul’s manuscript, which was introduced into scientific circulation relatively recently, has allowed us to take a fresh look at Abay’s original worldview.

Keywords: Abai, Nomadic Civilization, Kazakh Literature, Decolonization, National Consciousness