Photographs, archival documents, and personal belongings of Mirzhakyp Dulatov and his family members are now on display at the National Museum of the Republic of Kazakhstan. The exhibition "The Figure Who Awakened the Kazakh Spirit" is dedicated to the 140th anniversary of the public figure and one of the leaders of the Alash movement. For the first time, relics provided by his descendants have been brought to Astana. The exposition introduces visitors to the family of Mirzhakyp Dulatov – his wife Gainizhamal, son Alibek, and daughter Gulnar.

"Almost all the exhibits here are originals and have been provided by our family. We had a trunk where we kept these valuable items. Our mother (Gulnar Mirzhakypkyzy Dulatova – ed.) preserved them. She aired them out several times a year, dried them in the sun, and froze them during harsh frosts. For example, this fur coat (belonging to Mirzhakyp Dulatov – ed.) is a true work of art. It's made of foal wool and designed in a very unique way. If you look at the sleeve, it's one mane, and the back is another. It's amazing how whole hides were used. Also on display is a portmanteau. Clothes were placed inside, and then it folded shut like an envelope. It's most likely of German or French make. Waterproof and highly valuable for that time," shared Erlan Satybaldiev, Mirzhakyp Dulatov's grandson.

Mirzhakyp Dulatov’s Fur Coat

Gulnar Dulatova was only 12 years old when her father was arrested, but she preserved his legacy in secret. Living her whole life under the stigma of being the daughter of a ‘people’s enemy’, she never doubted that justice would prevail and Mirzhakyp Dulatov would be rehabilitated. She published a five-volume collection of her father’s works and wrote three memoirs of her own. The exhibition features her clothing and typewriter.

"This is a custom-made dress, and here’s a traditional jacket (kamzol). My mother wore this jacket during the Kazakh Art Decade in Moscow in 1959. The teacups, the coffee pot, the samovar – they’re all familiar to me from childhood. For instance, on this nightstand (part of Gainizhamal’s dowry – ed.) we used to have a telephone," recalled Erlan Satybaldiev.

Nightstand from the Dowry of Gainizhamal – Wife of M. Dulatov

For the first time, the public is shown a 1914 publication from the Lazarev Institute of Oriental Languages. Among Kazakh writers, only two were featured – Abai Kunanbaev and Mirzhakyp Dulatov. The book contains prose translations of poetic works. The translations by Nukh Ramazanov and Satylgan Sabatayev are considered the first Russian renditions of Abai and Mirzhakyp’s writings.

"Our family also has a personal copy of this book. The spine is embossed with the author’s name. A special edition was made just for the writer. Both copies have natural leather bindings. Unfortunately, we can’t open and display ours. Interestingly, the version shown here was one I found fairly recently in a secondhand bookshop," said Erlan Satybaldiev.

A particular highlight is a newly exhibited photograph of Mirzhakyp Dulatov from 1909. It shows the public figure at a wedding. Seated to his right is Akhmetvali Menger – a well-known businessman who headed Turkish branches of Mercedes-Benz and Bosch for many years. Previously, only a cropped version of this photo was published. The full version was found thanks to Menger’s grandniece.

"The relatives who preserved the photo recognized nearly everyone in it. But where Mirzhakyp Dulatov was, they had marked ‘unknown’. Later, thanks to Menger’s grandniece, we found the complete photograph. Previously, only a fragment showing Dulatov and Menger had been published, without any caption. Now we know the names of everyone in the photo," explained Erlan Satybaldiev.

The exhibition reveals little-known aspects of Mirzhakyp Dulatov’s life and personality. It immerses visitors in the warmth of a family atmosphere that was shattered by his arrest in 1928.