Baluan Sholak ( kk, Балуан Шолақ, ''Balýan Sholaq''; 1864–1919), was a Kazakh Turkic composer, singer, poet,

dombra The ''dombra'', also known as ''dombyra'' ( kz, домбыра, uz, dombira, ba, думбыра) is a long-necked Kazakh, Uzbek and Bashkir lute and a musical string instrument. The dombyra shares certain characteristics with the komuz ...

player,

dzhigit ''Jigit'' (also spelled as ''Dzhigit'', ''yigit'', ''zhigit'' or ''igid'') is a word used in the North Caucasus and Central Asia to describe a skillful and brave equestrian, or a brave person in general. The word is of Turkic origin.Great Soviet ...

and wrestler.

Biography

Baluan Sholak was born on 11 December 1864, in the village of Karaotkel near the Khan mountains in modern

Akmola Province Akmola Region ( kz, Ақмола облысы, translit=Aqmola oblysy; russian: Акмолинская область, Akmolinskaya oblast) is a centrally located region of Kazakhstan. Its capital is Kokshetau. The national capital, Astana, is ...

Kazakhstan Kazakhstan, officially the Republic of Kazakhstan, is a transcontinental country located mainly in Central Asia and partly in Eastern Europe. It borders Russia to the north and west, China to the east, Kyrgyzstan to the southeast, Uzbeki ...

, and was named Nurmagambet Baymyrzauly. He was the son of a carpenter. At a young age he lost fingers in an accident when his right hand was burnt, and became known as Baluan Sholak, "Fingerless Fighter". He started fighting at the age of fourteen, and gained a reputation as an invincible wrestler. He also gained fame as a singer of Kazakh songs, composing and performing music by Birzhan Kozhagulova and Achan Seri, and as an akyn (poet-improviser). He travelled through

Kokshetau Kokshetau (meaning ''Blueish Mountain'' in Kazakh, kz, Көкшетау, Kökşetau; ; rus, Кокшета́у, p=kokʂɛtaʊ) is a city in northern Kazakhstan and the capital of Akmola Region, which stretches along the southern shore of Lak ...

, Karaotkel, Bayan-Aul, Irtysh, and Sarysu, staging performances with his esenmble of

players, singers, storytellers, jockeys and wrestlers. Some of his songs became very popular in Kazakhstan, including ''Галия'' (''Galiya''), dedicated to his beloved Galiya, and ''Сентябрь'' (''September''). He was also an accomplished

(skilful horse rider), standing on the back of a galloping horse or riding under the horse's belly. At fairs he could lift the weight of 816 kg. On one occasion at the

Koyandy Fair The Koyandy Fair ( kk, Қоянды жәрмеңкесі) was a large annual trade fair held every June from 1848 to 1930 in the Karkaraly region of Kazakhstan on the caravan route from Central Asia to Siberia, located west of modern-day Yegindybul ...

he battled a well-known fighter named Karen and broke several ribs. Baluan Sholak remained popular with his countrymen and was respected and honoured wherever he went. His songs are still heard today, and the

Baluan Sholak Palace of Culture and Sports The Baluan Sholak Sports Palace ( kk, Балуан Шолақ атындағы спорт сарайы, translit=Balýan Sholaq atyndaǵy sport saraıy) or Bolyan Sholak Sports Palace is a Palace of Sports in Almaty, the former capital of Kazakhs ...

in Almaty, built in 1967 and seating 5000, is named in his honour.

References

External links

Photograph of Baluan Sholak lifting an ox weighing 816 kg
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sholak, Baluan 19th-century Kazakhstani male singers Dughlats Kazakhstani composers Male composers Kazakhstani poets Kazakhstani male sport wrestlers 1864 births 1919 deaths 20th-century Kazakhstani male singers 19th-century Kazakhstani writers 20th-century Kazakhstani writers