Kemel Tokayev – founder of the detective genre in kazakh literature

Today marks the birthday of Kemel Tokayev, born on October 2, 1923, in the Karatal district of Almaty region. Known as the founder of the detective genre in Kazakh literature, Tokayev forged a new path in the literary world, becoming a symbol of resilience and patriotism. His life, filled with both personal hardship and triumph, reflects his unwavering dedication to his craft and his love for the Motherland.Tokayev’s works, rooted in historical truth, continue to inspire readers, embodying the power of literature to shape cultural identity and preserve national memory.

Kemel Tokayev, a pioneering figure who introduced a new genre to Kazakh literature, showcased his literary talent from an early age. Passionate about reading since childhood, he found inspiration in the works of Abay. However, his early years were marked by hardship, preventing him from fully realizing his writing potential in his youth.

Born on October 2, 1923, in the Karatal district of Almaty region, Tokayev is celebrated as the father of the detective genre in Kazakh literature. His life story and struggles are vividly portrayed in the memoir Thoughts about the Father, penned by his son, Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev. The memoir recounts how the Tokayev family endured the harsh political climate of the time, moving across the country during Kemel’s childhood, eventually relocating to Frunze (now Bishkek) in Kyrgyzstan.

Despite this, tragedy continued to follow him. His younger sister tragically died in a fire, and soon after, their grief-stricken mother passed away. To add to the sorrow, his father disappeared, leaving Kemel and his brother Kasym as orphans. They were sent to an orphanage, where their resilience was tested yet again when World War II broke out. Both Kemel and Kasym joined the frontlines before even reaching the age of twenty.

After fighting valiantly to defend his homeland, Kemel Tokayev returned from the frontlines, severely wounded. However, the end of the war brought him his most devastating personal loss—the death of his brother Kasym, who had cared for him throughout his life. In the memoirs of his son, Kassym-Zhomart Tokayev, Kemel described this loss as the moment he truly became an orphan. Yet, despite the immense hardships he faced, he did not give in to despair. It was during this period that his talent as a writer began to emerge, particularly in the detective genre.

Drawing upon his own experiences and the stories of his comrades from the front, Tokayev wrote works that were rooted in reality. He did not fabricate characters or events; instead, his stories were grounded in historical facts and archival documents. One such work is his novel The Last Blow, an adventure detective story that uncovers the truth behind a historical event. In Shaken Aimanov's famous film The End of the Ataman, it is claimed that the Soviet security officer Kasymkhan Shadiyarov killed the ataman Dutov, but the identity of the person who truly killed the enemy remained uncertain. Tokayev, through his research, exposed this historical inaccuracy in The Last Blow, revealing that the real name of the individual was not Shadiyarov, but Kozhamiyarov.

Critics hailed the novel as the first true detective story in Kazakh literature, a work that vividly captures the essence of the Soviet era. The Last Blow was first published in 1981 by the Zhazushy publishing house with a print run of 49,000 copies, quickly becoming popular among readers. It attracted attention not only from Kazakh audiences but also from foreign writers with a penchant for adventure. Evidence of its broad appeal can be seen in requests for copies of the book from the Library of Congress and the University of Illinois.

Kazakh writers who were contemporaries of Kemel Tokayev often remarked on the high demand for his stories and novels. In one of his memoirs, People's Writer Azilhan Nurshaykov wrote, "Kemel Tokayev, the leader of the detective genre in Kazakh literature, was among the most popular writers among Kazakh authors. By popular demand, Kemel's books were reprinted three or four times" [1, 172b]. Similarly, the renowned writer and State Prize laureate Akim Tarazi noted that Tokayev's brilliant detective works "reside only in the golden zone called the heart of the reader, and his books never linger on store shelves for even a day" [1, 224b].

Although the detective genre immediately captivates readers, it is widely acknowledged as one of the most difficult genres to write. In the book Thoughts about the Father, Kemel's son reflects on why his father may have chosen to write detective stories. He states, "When I re-read my father's works, I realized that they appeal to both adults and children. They do not fall into the category of cheap books that fade away with time. I believe the wide readership and the fact that his books were printed in hundreds of thousands of copies are linked to these qualities... It seems that my father understood this truth. Perhaps this was the secret behind his choice of the detective genre. It was also a new and undeveloped genre in Kazakh literature. My father's early recognition is tied to the fact that he was one of the first to pioneer this untouched field. Thus, his contribution to the development of the detective genre played a major role in his literary career" [1, 11b]. In our view, beyond these reasons, Kemel Tokayev's deep gratitude and love for his homeland and its defenders were key factors that motivated him to enter the world of detective fiction.

"Both his father and mother were the same orphanage, the same state. He saw the good in this state and became a son of the Fatherland. For my father, the concept of the Motherland was paramount. Having received so much good from it, he had no desire whatsoever to be anything but a patriot, to give his all for this Motherland" [1, p. 10]. These lines are an excerpt from the memoirs of Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, the current president of the country.

Kemel Tokayev's unwavering love for his homeland was evident not only in his brave service during the Great Patriotic War but also in his literary works, which breathed new life into Kazakh literature and uncovered historical truths. The moral integrity and heroic contributions of Kemel Tokayev, a writer who played a pivotal role in the cultural and intellectual development of the nation, serve as an inspiring example for all of humanity.