Bashkir poet, educator and local historian Garifulla Kiikov

The work of the poet and educator, local historian, and religious figure Garifulla Kiikov occupies a prominent place in the history of Bashkir literature and culture of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. This article briefly describes his creative legacy and defines his role in the cultural development of his native people. It is noted that in his books and articles published in the early 20th century, as well as his surviving manuscripts, he was one of the first to raise the issue of creating the Bashkir literary language, wrote a history of the Bashkirs and the Irakte clan, and called on his contemporaries to progress and education. Along with the works of several other authors, his book “A Collection of Poetry for Children, or Rhymes for Children” is a fertile ground where national children’s literature was born. Research Results. This article presents Garifulla Kiikov’s handwritten works on the history of the Bashkir people, his notes on this topic, and letters stored in the scientific archives of St. Petersburg and Ufa. The educator’s epistolary legacy includes information about his search for Arabic script written monuments. One of his surviving letters testifies to his utmost care for the books and manuscripts of his father, the renowned Bashkir poet Gali Chokryi (1826–1889). Along with the many significant references to written monuments in his work on the history of his native people, all this acan serve as a valuable source for linguists interested in the northwestern dialect of the Bashkir language and the toponymy of Bashkiria. 

1. Kiikov G. The history of Bashkirs and Iraktin people. Ufa: IIYaL UNCz RAN; 2011: 112 (in Bashkir).

2. Garifulla ibn Muxammedgali Chokryi. The source of satisfaction. Khazret Spring, or Kurdym Spring. Kazan; 1900:140 (in Old Turkic).

3. Garifulla ibn Muxammedgali Chokryi. Poems for children, or the Rhymes for children. Kazan; 1903:24 (in Old Turkic).

4. The pool of oriental manuscripts and old print books. The Institute of History, Languages and Literature, Ufa Federal Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences. Manuscript A-78-1 (in Old Turkic).

5. Garifulla ibn Gali Chokryi. Competition between languages. ‘Shury’ language competition. Orenburg; 1910:46–47 (in Old Turkic).

6. Garifulla ibn Gali Chokryi. Gabdelkayum Nasy`ri. Shura; 1913:5:141–142. (in Old Turkic)

7. Scientific Archive, Ufa Federal Scientific Center, Russian Academy of Sciences. F. 7. Op. 1, units 15.

8. Oriental Studies Archive. Institute of Oriental Manuscripts, Russian Academy of Sciences. 131. Op. 1. Units 2. L. 62. (in Old Turkic).

9. Oriental Studies Archive. Institute of Oriental Manuscripts, Russian Academy of Sciences. F. 131. Op. 1. Units 7. L. 78–79 (in Old Turkic).

10. Oriental Studies Archive. Institute of Oriental Manuscripts, Russian Academy of Sciences. F. 131. Op. 1. Units 34. (in Old Turkic).

11. Nadergulov M.Kh. Bashkir historic and literary works of the 16th – early 20th centuries: First Genre System and traditions. Ufa: Kitap; 2013:312.

12. Selected works by Mukhamedsalim Umidbaev. Kazan; 1897:120 (in Old Turkic).